Praying - What a JOYe!

Recently a friend of mine gave a talk at bible study at the end of her talk she asked us to participate in a prayer practice that was new to me.

The instructions were basically think of a word or image that relates to your walk with God right now. Then somewhere on a blank page write the word and a very simplistic marking to represent that word. Keep repeating the process.

The first word that came to mind was growth. This word was related to the Lord stretching me by asking me to pursue substitute teaching in the middle and high schools in our community. So I drew a tree trunk. That led to my hopes about the fruit that would be born from this activity in my life. So I drew apples and they each represented a different characteristic I either was hoping to see developed in me or expressed to the kids. That led to drawing a path on the right side of the page.

What happened next was so telling. I consciously thought that Jesus should be just a half step a head of me. So I wrote his name down and then mine. I looked at what I had done. I had put my own name a half-step ahead of his. Shoot. So I crossed out my name and rewrote it where it belonged. What I loved about the way I drew the path was that there was no destination in sight. I don't know specifically yet where this is headed. I'm walking by faith.

That thought prompted the words "eyes to see". I desire to have eyes to see what God has planned for me as soon as he wants to let me in on it. So I drew a pair of eyes.

That thought led to the word glory. All of this is to be for his glory so I made "marks of praise" and "marks of glory" at the top of my page. Time was up and I was done with my prayer.

Everyone at our table shared their prayer and expressed how amazed they were at the process and that it did reveal to them where they are at right now. What a gift our leader gave to us.

Dear Lord,

I continue to be amazed at the wonder of the combination of being and doing. When we are honest in our being before you and doing something anything that reflects that the indescribable and something very meaningful happens. Lord so many of us have been so afraid of legalistic doing we have been tricked into passivity. So I ask that you would continue to give me and others who desire this as well doings that match up with our being in you. Help us to see the light you create and give you all the glory for it.

Amen