Prayer Posture

"Physical postures help posture our hearts and minds."

This section was very interesting.  I have been trying to talk with God more frequently, and have been making it a part of my normal day to day activity.  

That being said, I pray while at my desk, while driving my car, while loading the diswasher, etc etc.  

How important do you think posture is?  

Do you think our posture when casual is disrespectful to our father?

I thought the Quaker position that was discussed was interesting so I did a little more research.

1. Find a comfortable seat. Don’t lean forward, though neither should you slouch as if attempting to sleep.  I like to sit in a hardwood chair or even on a stool.  
2. Close your eyes.
3. Place your hands face-down on your lap. This represents letting go of all that has filled your mind.
4. In silence, give to God all your anxieties, concerns, and worries.  Surrender to him all those thoughts which occupy your mind.  I begin by thinking this phrase:  “Lord I give to you….”
5. Now, maintaining this same posture, rotate your hands so that your palms are face-up.  This is symbolic for receiving blessings and peace from God.
6. In silence, ask God to grant you peace.  You may ask for any number of blessings (such as strength, courage, faith, patience, etc). I begin by saying:  “Lord, please fill me with your…”
7. Sit in silence for some time, focused on God — and simply resting in his presence

Excert taken from http://jamesbrett.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/meditative-prayer-centering-down/

I am sure if you are like me you will try the above posture . . . . I am always looking for ways to eliminate the outside distractions of my my life from overtaking my prayer life.  

Many different postures were used in the Bible, I think your posture really depends on the situation.   I do not think that our posture changes how our prayers are heard, but I think our posture puts our hearts in the position they need to be in.  

Kneeling - Psalm 95:6, Daniel 6:10, 1 Kings 8:54, Acts 21:5

Bowing - 2 Chronicles 7:3, 2 Chronicles 29:29, Romans 14:11, Psalm 22:29, Mark 5:6

Prostrate - Numbers 20:6, 1 Chronicles 29:20, Revelations 7:11, 1 King 18:39, Matthew 2:11

Arms Raised - Psalms 134:2, 1 King 8:54, 1 Kings 2:22

Familiarity with God

"He had a familiarity with God that was disarming.  He had a faith in God that was reassuring."  

Familiarity is relaxed friendliness or intimacy between people.  

I want this with God!

There are times that I feel so far away from God.  My life can become so busy that the most important things get left by the wayside. . . . .sadly this can be my time with God.  

I want so much to have that relationship with my Savior!  That all who know me will see Christ through me!

I want to pursue Jesus and know his ways.  I want to spend time with him so that I will he his soft voice. By becoming more familiar with our Father my faith will grow!

Open Doors

"These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.  

What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  I know your deeds.  

See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut."

How many of us only pray for open doors?  After all most of us want what we want, when we want it.  We are currently living in a time where lots of things are instantaneous.  If you need an answer right away you can go to your computer and have multiple answers in seconds.  We go to the store and can buy all of our food, we do not need to grow it or slaughter it.  We live in the here and now.
I know that I get frustrated when doors are closed, because I feel like I know what is best and I am sure that it is something God would want me to have.  It is difficult to remember that sometimes a door is closed because God knows what is coming, something that would be bigger and better for me.  We struggle as finite beings to see much beyond our current needs and desires.  God see our entire future, and he wants to give us great gifts!  

No Answer

Do you trust that God is for you even when you do not receive what you have prayed for?

Do you trust the God has a better plan than you do?

Do you trust that his reason for not answering your prayer with a yes may be beyond your understanding?

I think we have all had some aha moments with what we initially perceived as an unanswered prayer. 

I know when my husband and I were trying to buy our first home we found a home that we loved.  We made a full listing offer on the home.  The next day we heard back from the seller that a cash buyer has also made a full listing offer and they were going to take the cash offer.  That unanswered prayer turned into a blessing, we found a house that was larger and in a better location and were able to close!  

Imagine if God gave us everything we asked for?  I know that I would not feel as blessed as I do now.

In some areas of my life I never would have imagined the blessing that God has provided me.  

Blessings that I do not deserve.     

"Sometimes God gets in the way to show us the way."

Wet Feet

"When you reach the banks of the Jordan River, take a few steps into the river."

Why do you think God wanted them to take a few steps into the river?

I think it was to show their trust in him.  This is a situation that they could not handle on their own and they had to put their trust in God!

I sometimes stand on the shore, waiting for God to clear a path for me.  Sometimes I wait a very long time before I take action, and other times I am continue to wait on the shore.  I am sure that I am missing out on some miracles!

"If you make a move, you'll see God move."  

Have you ever made a move out of obedience and then seen God move in powerful ways?
How can we be sure that we are moving out of obedience and not craziness?

How crazy was it for Jesus to command Peter to go fish and the first fish would have a coin in its mouth?
I love fishing, and can say I have never found a coin in the mouth of a fish!
We need to stay prayerful and pay attention to Gods still soft voice.

The Cattle on a Thousand Hills

God loves showing up in unexpected ways at unexpected times.

How often has God shown up at the last minute for you?  

Do you become afraid and change course? or do you pray through?

Could this last minute answer to prayer be God making us understand that we need to depend on him all the time?

I  know that I need reminders to rely on Christ.  I am a  planner and want to know where I am going to be and all the details long before the required time.  

I am praying for a miracle, something that I have no way to provide, only Christ can provide it for me.  I am being bold.  I am being persistent.  I am being thankful.  

JEJIT - Just enough just in time

If you think about it, that is all we need, Just enough and just in time.

I feel like God shows up in unexpected ways all the time.  Our God is such an awesome God, just look around you!  What a gorgeous world he has created for us!

God is awesome!

The Favor of Him Who Dwells in the Burning Bush

Watching and Waiting


I thoroughly enjoyed this section!
I also do not like to wait to give gifts!  As soon as I have a present wrapped, I want to present it.
I had not thought about our heavenly father being excited to give us gifts.
"He can hardly wait to keep his promises, to perform his word, and to answer our prayers."
I think sometimes we do not truly feel that God is our father.  As a parent, I desire to give me children the best that I can provide.  This is how God is with us.  He wants what is best for us.  We sometimes need to be reminded that his best is better than anything we can possibly imagine.

In the beginning of this chapter it discussed special places to pray.  Do you have a special place that you like to pray?  I do not know about you, but I tend to have lots of distractions in my life and struggle to be focus only on my conversation with God.  I am going to work on thinking of a place that I can go free of intrusion from the outside world!