Sunday, November 06, 2011

Asking (praying?) Part III

I am finding that prayer and meditation are related. 

Foundational premise (or maybe this is just free information....) - I cannot strictly approach prayer from an asking perspective.  I cannot use solely as my mechanism to "get something" from God.  If I approach prayer from this perspective, I go right back to "consume it upon my lusts" principle from James.  I think that it would be awfully hard to not move into the "my lusts" category if all I ever do is ask for things from God.  (In addition, there are plenty of other things that we are to do in prayer - give thanks, pray for others, etc.)

Back to meditation.  I find that meditation is listening for me and prayer is talking.  This is relationship - listening, talking, understanding, listening, asking, talking, seeking, questioning, listening......  I have to do both - listen and talk.  My listening is meditation.  My talking is prayer.

What do I meditate on?  How my life and my prayers are either in agreement with or in conflict with what God is telling me.  Where do I find what God is telling me?  The scriptures.  (This is why some people teach to pray scripture.)  Reading God's word and then asking God about where and what He wants from me and then waiting for an answer from the Holy Spirit, is how I listen to God; this is meditation for me.  I have to take this time to slow my mind down, to kind of empty my mind of the "stuff" of life, so I can listen to God speak to me through his Spirit.

Foundational principle #2 - God is out for my best interests and has a deep desire for relationship with me.  I know that whatever he says to me, whatever he asks me to do, is for my good and ultimately will be the best thing for me!

Take time to listen and pray today.  I am saying that to me.  I have to slow down and do the hard work of relationship.  I have to spend time with my Lord if I want to have a great relationship with him.

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