Prayer as friendship: George Buttrick

George Buttrick, from his book entitled PRAYER.

"Prayer is friendship with God.  Friendship is not formal, but it is formless: it has its cultivation, its behavior, its obligations, even its disciplines; and the casual mind kills it."  And thus Buttrick embarks on a very inFORMal look at prayer through the template of the Lord's Prayer.  Based on his comments, I recognize that prayer and friendship, as concepts, should have a great deal in common, especially if we believe that prayer is conversation.  There is no relationship without communication.  There is not Christian discipleship without prayer.

 Two things jumped out at me this week, and both of them deal with the question "How can I tell when God is speaking to me?"

1.  Do you take time to listen to God when you pray?  George Buttrick writes, "Intervals of prayer should be filled with meditation.  After thanksgiving we should contemplate God's goodness, and await his word concerning his own gifts.  After confession, we should adore the pardoning Love made known in Christ, and listen for his guidance.  After intercession we should pause to try to see the whole world's need as Christ saw it from his cross.  After petition we should wait again to meditate upon the Will." 

He concludes, "Prayer is listening as well as speaking, receiving as well as asking; and its deepest mood is friendship held in reverence."

If prayer is conversation, then two must communicate.  Spend more time being a good listener to your Heavenly Father.
2.  Do you pray for specific answers to your questions?  How do you know if God is speaking, if you do not know what he will say?  You do not know the Scripture, if you do not know what kind of things God will say.  Also, God may answer many prayers over and over again, but you have not seen or heard his response because you are not looking for the answers he may give.  Buttrick suggests we write down our thanksgivings and praises to God, make a list of individuals who need love (and their needs), and be specific about our prayers.  Specific prayers will lead to clear answers and will address specific issues.  Simply put, James 4:3  "You have not because you ask in the wrong way."

So, we are encouraged this week to pray specifically (while seeking God's word and will) and to pray at times silently--with a listening ear.

Prayer as Meditation

Confession: meditation is difficult enough without having mental ADD issues.

Thomas Merton says that meditation can be a descent into "nothingness."  I find this language somewhat dangerous.  I understand that nothingness can be a reflection on death and suffering.  Yet, human meditation as an emptying of the self is dangerous is nothing is there to fill the void.  I am reminded of Jesus' teaching in Luke 11:24-26.

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."

Thus, it is dangerous to empty the mind of soul without intent to fill it with something more beneficial.

To give Merton credit, he does show that the emptiness of the should whould be accompanied with or guided by scripture.  In this way we are filled with divine and holy truth in place of our own emptiness or the world's vanities.  For Christians, this path away from the world and fleshly desire and into spiritual awareness through scripture and the Holy Spirit is a true path to enlightenment, a term that describes a place of God's wisdom and inner transformation.

So, what benefit could meditation be?  Well, it is like exercise.  It takes time to get into the habit, and it gets easier as you work at it.  Eventually, your spirit will crave the adrenaline and energy that comes from the meditative exercise.  There will be incremental changes, and they should be evident in time spent meditating, and also the knowledge of God gained through the intentional focus on his Presence and his Scripture.

Meditate on Psalm 139 again.  "I know the end of my days, how fleeting my life is.  Surely everyone stands as a mere breath.  Surely everyone walks about like a shadow.  Surely everyone is in turmoil for nothing.    They pile up and do not know who will keep it.

And now Lord, what do I wait for?  My hope is in you."

The world is empty.  But our lives are full due to the hope that we have through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Cherish this thought.  Let everything else--my accomplishments, my activities, my worries, my desires--evaporate in the heat of the day or the cool mists of the night.  Our Lord and God will never change.  I wait for him.  Lord, let your desires transform me.  My hope is in you.

This devotional thought is based on readings from "Devotional Classics: Selected Reading for Individuals and Groups."  Renovare Resources.  Harper, 1993.

Prayer as attitude

A simple thought on prayer.  Prayer is not magic, nor is it systematic.  Prayer is attitude and relationship.  There is no formula (even "in Jesus' name") that assures us of an outcome or result for our prayers.  Can I go so far as to say that there is no right or wrong prayer to pray?  It seems to me that the attitude and heart of the prayer are more important than the words that are said in the prayer.

For example, see  Luke 18:9-14.

⁹And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: ¹⁰“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹²‘I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ ¹⁴“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Thus, when we pray, we do not seek a systematic solution to life's problems.  Instead we pray to acknowledge God and to know God more, to know his will, to work through our issues but not to solve them.  Prayer is not a system that handles our difficulties.  Prayer itself is difficult and goes against human thought and desire.  Yet, we must learn the heart of prayer--and be disciplined in prayer--if we are to grow in faith and knowledge of our God and Savior.

Meditation: Psalm 39.   "I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue. . . . .  And now, what do I wait for?  My hope, O Lord, is in you.  Deliver me from my transgressions.  Do not make me the scorn of fools."

Spend 15 minutes dwelling on these (and other) verses in Psalm 39.  Let your mind be filled with God's word, and shut all other images and noises as you focus on his truth.

Blowout 2: Forgot to mention . . .

Per the last story, one other little tidbit. Someone asked me, Why didn't you call me for a ride?

Well, I forgot my cell phone!

Tough to call for help when you don't have your phone. And it is tough to ask for help when you don't pray.

As always in life, if we aren't prepared to pray, or even forget about it (heaven forbid), then we are stranded and will have to get back on our own strength. Fortunately, God is always near. And the discipline of prayer is very important.

Yes, I forgot my cell phone. But I still had plenty of time to talk to God. I'm glad he never drops calls!

Jeremiah 33:3 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'



I did notice that 20 pickup trucks passed me, but no one offered to help--but that is a blog for another day.

What do you want out of this study?

For those of you reading along in The Measure of a Man (and if you are not, join us!), p. 22 has some great questions and exercises on it. The one I want to post today, and would like to see your responses on the blog, is this: Write one goal you'd like to achieve as a result of this study.


Well what is it? Personally, I would like to assess my strengths and weaknesses in my Christian maturity and develop the discipline to pray daily about them.


I would also like to see the men in my church develop the discipline of daily prayer--for themselves, their families, their church, and the Kingdom!

Community Prayer: Day 22

Acts 1:8 You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Rome).

Father, teach us to reach our community--to be serious about our place in our communities--not just geographically, but also our work, friendship, recreation, family, and home communities. Teach us to plant and work the soil. Please provide the increase, Father. Do not let us be afraid of the ends of the earth, nor let us be complacent with our own Jerusalem. Send us Father to plow all of these fields with joy and thanksgiving. May your glory be seen. May your growth come.

Amen.


I hope that your prayer time is going smoothly. What is God saying to you?

Community Prayer: Day 21

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.


Father, I pray for our teachers today that they will be a light in the schools where they are. Bless those who are teachers from SHBC, including Sarah M, Crystal P, Robin B, and others who are serving you in our public schools. Protect them with your power, provide for them with your riches, and let their testimony and love shine through to children and parents alike. Let these teachers, our missionaries on the front lines of our community, speak your Gospel in both word and deed.

Thank you for these dedicated and called servants.

Amen.

Community Prayer: Day 19

Oops. Got my days mixed up. This is to touch on Feb. 12's prayer.

2 Timothy 2:2.The things which you have heard from me through many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be honorable and able to teach others also. (my translation)

God, show us who the difference makers are in our community--men and women of peace and leadership whom you are calling to impact lives for your Kingdom. Raise up individuals and families in SHBC that will stand up for the Gospel message and will touch lives where they are. Father, grow us into a body of Christ that makes a difference in the lives around us.

We give you the glory because you bring the increase.

Amen.

Community Prayer: Day 18

John 15:7-8 If you abide in me and my words abide in you, if you desire to ask something, even that will happen to you. My father is glorified by this: that you bear much fruit and turn into my (literally: become to me disciples).

Father let your heart be in us at SHBC. Raise up people in your church who are willing to pray, serve, and act on behalf of our schools and community. Raise us up to plant and sow seed. We depend on your for the harvest. Forgive us for ignoring the fields. Forgive us for not caring. Forgive us for our selfishness. Use us to impact our community and our neighbors. Let SHBC be a blessed light wherever we are. Let your heart abide in us.

Amen.

Community Prayer: Day 17

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Prayer
Thank you Father for equipping us to fight spiritual battles. Teach us to be strong in you. Remind us who we struggle with. Gives us love for people. Teach us to hate sin and evil. Remind us that we fight for people and against the Devil. Clothe us with your grace. Protect us in battle. Seal us with your Spirit that we might stand strong against the evil one. Make prayer our source of power. drive us to prayer, daily, reverently, consistently. Unleash your Spirit among us--in mercy--to purge, purify, cleanse, strengthen.


Remember, some water, some sow seed, but God brings growth. Pray to the God who grows us and our church!

Community Prayer: Day 15

So, we're half way through our 28 days of prayer. Any responses out there? What are your thoughts on the prayers we've praying? Do you sense that God is speaking to you? Is anyone talking about the prayer emphasis?

I noticed that God is moving in our women to start a women's small group.

Today's prayer: Pray that God would make our families pure and holy, sanctifying them by the truth, His word is truth. John 17:17

Father, make our families pure through your word. Make us more like you as we daily walk with you. Father, call our church families to you--that parents and children alike will be drawn to you. Do not let us be satisfied or comfortable. Make us more like you.

Amen.