Experiencing Prayer

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Good morning, LordFather in Heaven, I seek You first-Your peace-Your knowledge and discernment. Build my trust. I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Psalm 139:23–24 (ESV)

23  Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24  And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

Verse of the Day: Mark 9:35

35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Today's reading: Exodus 21-22 Matthew 19

Experiencing Prayer

George Herbert (1593–1633) wrote lines that not many of us will ever encounter. Reading ‘old stuff’ is not done much these days with all the hand-held technology. And the people who do read, reach for mostly ‘something new’.

But I want us to hear just one line from Herbert’s “Prayer (I)”.

“God’s breath in man returning to his birth…”

God breathed into man the breath of life.(Genesis 2:7)

Then, man sinned and was driven from the Garden of Eden separated by his own sin from his divine creator. So, God worked His plan for centuries until He sent Christ to die for us so that we could be cleansed from our own sin and reunited with Him.

And now, what? Think of all we do. We are born, we live, we work, we have families. Those of the world who come to Christ have the veil torn in half for them so they(we) might ‘return God’s breath’ to Him in prayer and in worship.

Some go to church with the attitude that they are expecting to be wowed. Some go to out-dress the next pilgrim.

Some pray words they have heard over and over-words taught by leaders who learned them from their teachers. Corporate worship is all they know because they have never ventured into secret prayer alone with God-using words of their own.

Some actually worship and pray to experience God as they learn to love Him. These have learned to ‘return His breath’ to Him.

Again, over simplified? Maybe for some but for others, there is nothing for us individually as profound as truthfully and humbly speaking to God with the very breath He has so graciously given us.

Maybe two more lines from Prayer(I):

“Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul’s blood,The land of spices; something understood.”

There is divine understanding for us in the presence of our Lord-in Christ, God gives it freely.

...because He loves us…

Father in Heaven,

Great and glorious You are. Your kingdom come and Your will be done in me and by me with kingdom power and wisdom and the humility of Christ. Forgive me my laziness. Lead me away from sin.

Glorious Father and God,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen