Prayer & Praise
You God toward whom we pray and about whom we sing, and from whom we claim our very life.
In your presence, in our seasons of ache and yearning and honesty, we know our right names.
In your presence we know ourselves to be aliens and strangers.
We gasp in recognition, taken by surprise at this disclosure, because we had nearly settled in and taken up residence in the wrong place.
For all of that, we turn out to be we strangers, unfamiliar with your covenant, remote from your people, at odds too much with sisters and brothers, we aliens, with no hope without promise with very little sense of belonging or knowing or risking or trusting,
It is in your presence that we come face to face with our beset, beleaguered existence in the world.
BUT You are the one who by your odd power calls us by new names that we can receive only from you and relish only in your company.
You call us now, citizens … with all the rights and privileges and responsibilities pertaining to life in your commonwealth.
You call us now saints, not because we are good or gentle or perfect, but because you have spotted us and marked us and claimed us for yourself and your purposes.
You call us members … and we dare imagine that we belong and may finally come home.
So with daring and freedom,we move from our old names known too well to the new names you speak over us, and in the very utterance we are transformed.
In the moment of utterance and transformation, we look past ourselves and past our sisters and brothers here present.
And we notice so many other siblings broken, estranged, consumed in rage and shame and loneliness, much born of wretched economics.
We bid powerfully that you name afresh all your creatures this day, even as you name us afresh.
We pray for nothing more and nothing less than your name for us all, utterly new, restored heaven and earth.
And we will take our new names with us when we leave this place, treasuring them all day long, citizen, saint, member, even as we take with us the odd name of Jesus.
Amen.
Walter Brueggemann. Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: The Prayers of Walter Brueggemann (p. 98). Kindle Edition.
Amen.
I had a long diatribe it would not have been useful, please pray for my living situation, not mine particularly but my neighbors, they have no place to Go. So I figured I would ask for prayer on this issue. Trust me it made me almost physically ill to do such. I wont go on because people are rather sick of my blabber as am I. I deleted alot as to not offend. Why is it that others do not do the same, delete there rhetoric as to not offend? I guess that is another prayer as well.
Brian, I love the compassion you have for hurting people. God bless you.
I know I don’t often post on PP, much less here, but I’ve really appreciated the prayer and support I’ve received here.
I’ve been challenged to pray more in the past year than ever.
Buuuuttttt, like many Christians, if you asked me “do you pray enough?” I would say no.
I’m convinced most Christians think that (someone please show me I’m wrong).
In talking to people I minister to, it seems many think we are supposed to spend days and years up on the side of some isolated monastery praying in KJV English. Thinking that this is NOT the case, but praying in the midst of the chaos within and round about us has helped me.
Anyone have any constructive ideas or encouragement on how to pray?
I appreciate this PP family.
PRAYER REQUESTS
brian Be praying for his living situation and that of his neighbors, who have no place to go. Praying as well for grace for him in asking for prayer…and peace with receiving support of others.
Erunner: Be in prayer for his mother, and for his entire family. His mother is in early set on dementia and is being cared for by a sister who lives with her. This sister is not taking care of the mother properly, and is isolating her and turning her against the other siblings. Pray for wisdom for E and his other siblings as they walk through this very emotional and difficult season, and for safety and care for his mom. For grace for this sister, that she would soften and act with compassion.
Derek: Be praying for his friend Dennis who served two tours with Derek and is possibly PTSD. Waiting this morning to hear more news as he was possibly suicidal, praying for great grace and mercy for this man.
Chile: “A family member was just told he has two years to live. We are confused as to why the doc thinks this, based on the info we were given. We are just stunned.” Chile and this family member now have to tell the rest of the family. Please pray for them as they walk through this…
Michael: Constant prayers for employment and health, for wisdom in what to pursue in this season. Prayers for strength and wisdom as he guides Trey.
Ryan: Pray for him as he deals with loneliness and the desire for true friendship. Praying for one specific friendship to continue to grow, and also other friendships to begin.
J2theperson Her husband has a disease which is impacting his back and his health. He is not able to work anymore, and they are dealing with the paperwork and stress of getting on disability. Continue to pray for them, especially as this sickness had another round just as they were hoping to begin trying for a second child. Pray for J2 as she deals with the emotions of that, along with caring for her husband and young daughter…and pray for her husband for strength and healing and comfort.
Steve Wright Be praying for an anonymous friend of his, from school days, who reached out during a difficult time. This person seems to be open to church and Steve shared much with him…pray that all that was shared takes root and the Spirit continues the work in this man.
Sarah: Praise!! Our young friend Logan, 11 years old, tested as being in remission from his leukemia after 1 month of chemo. He is home for a week, and although he is testing in remission, he will have to continue his chemo treatments for the next two months. Still, we are so grateful for this…it is wonderful to see the light in his eyes, and the relief in his momma’s face. Still praying for complete healing and for grace as they continue the treatments. Update: Logan went back into the hospital today, after a truly great week, and began his twice daily chemo treatments again. Praying they go smoothly (he had some allergic reactions during the last round)
Ukraine: The President has been ousted and the opposition leader freed from jail. Now they elect new leaders? I am still naive in all of this…praying for those who understand well to have wisdom, for those in the midst of the turmoil to have grace even in their fervor, and for justice to somehow prevail. Praying for protection for the innocents. Here is an article about the latest: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26312008
I will try to update each morning and add any requests that come in to this list as we used to, so we can see our requests in one spot. If a request comes on another thread and I miss it, please let me know.
JTK…
Hey! The absolute best advice I ever received about prayer was to find someone who was comfortable in prayer and hang around them and pray. That grew my prayer ‘conversation’ more than anything. If you can find one person you are comfortable with, who is already comfortable praying with others, I would just tell them that you are trying to grow in the area of prayer and would they be up for meeting and praying together from time to time. Or…if they already have some time of a prayer meeting, if you could just hang around and listen.
It is not just hearing the words, but being with someone who is comfortable expressing themselves to God. That at least helped me immensely. That is one of the things I so appreciate about our church right now; the pastor’s wife prays during each service. Not a quick prayer, but usually 10 minutes or so. For the congregation, by name. She is teaching the congregation to pray in those moments.
The other thing that has helped me, but it depends on if you like to write, is writing out prayers. I express myself best in writing, and that has always been a good place to go when I feel “stuck”. Or, at least some type of journal of what I am praying about.
I’m sure others will have suggestions as well.
Sarah,
Once again, you are so helpful!
Thanks
I hate to even bring it up after last time, but please pray, if you are so inclined, that tensions in Ukraine calm down and there is not a war with Russia.
The people are preparing for one and I’m inclined to think that’s wise.
Thanks, Sarah. I was just about to repost the same request. Beat me to it 🙂 It’s still rough but there is some progress. I still need God’s help
JTK..yay! 😉
London…I will update the request I have on the list. Such a volatile situation.
Ryan..have been thinking of you, and praying. Hang in there.
There is one helpful way of prayer that I had been taught early on by Lonnie Frisbee. When one desires to have traction and forward momentum in ones prayer life this May or may not help. Depending upon the persons intentions.
First praise, worship the Lord until you get in the Spirit, then start to pray as you are led by the Spirit. Pray about what comes to mind and then move on to your prayer list.
At times the Spirit of intercession may come upon you and you will delight in the compelling force of it as you are drawn along in praying. As if you were being assigned this prayer task. You can’t stop until this Spirit of intercession lifts off of you nor do you want to stop until It does.
This type of prayer always gets desired results, always.
Another assist in prayer is to fast. For some reason fasting clears the mind and generates sharp focus in prayer. Few go this route.
Monk…while I think it is profitable to be seeking the Spirit in prayer, to focus ourselves and to lean in toward God with worship being an excellent element of that, I am extremely hesitant to ever say any “type” or “model” or “practice” or setup will always get desired results, always.
If our intention is to seek God, the result will be that we have sought Him. If our desire is to be faithful to pray and intercede for those who care about, and those whom He has placed in our path, the result will be that we have done so.
If we expect to always have some experience, some meeting that produces visceral reaction or physical answer…we will be disappointed.
The walk of prayer is lifelong and various. There have been times I have been completely overcome by the Spirit in prayer, and yet to my eyes and those I have interceded for…the situation has remained the same. There have been other times I have prayed with a shallowness of faith I am ashamed of…and yet God has met the need in miraculous ways.
The fact is…there has not been a great rhyme or reason. There have been moments of delight and moments of frustration, but the clarity for me is we are called to pray and we are promised He hears. We are promised He acts on behalf of His children, and I trust that. And I rejoice and am grateful when I have moments of clear delight in the Spirit.
Sarah,
“At times the Spirit of intercession may come upon you and you will delight in the compelling force of it as you are drawn along in praying. As if you were being assigned this prayer task. You can’t stop until this Spirit of intercession lifts off of you nor do you want to stop until It does.”
This type of prayer is by and from the Master Creator Almighty God. I repeat…
“This type of prayer always gets desired results, always”
Why?
Because we are not the ones in control of the Spirit of intercession, He is. Intercession of this type is sent to accomplish a purpose and does not void.
Anyone called to the task of intercession knows what I am saying. It is a unique calling within the Body of Christ that is wholly prompted by and initiated by the Holy Spirit.
Going offline for a bit. I will update the prayer requests each Monday. Blessings, all.