Well, we’re already closing the first chapter of the new year. January is about to pass. I wonder how many of our “New Years Resolutions” will be doing the same at the end of this month? 
I make resolutions every year. I think they’re healthy. It challenges us to grow, to stretch, to reach beyond the rut we settled into last year.
I made a couple of resolutions that will remain a mystery to you with the exception of one. I really want to challenge myself in the area of prayer. I want to come back to the understanding of how mystical and amazing it truly is. And I want to develop a rhythm in my life that marches to the beat of regular intervals of prayer.
You can’t help but notice (if you’ll take note) how Jesus, the disciples and the old, wise sages of the Old Testament all had a very rhythmic prayer life. They were very intentional about it, and very disciplined, and very regular. They would pray in the morning, noon and night. They would face toward Jerusalem as they prayed, and they would go to the temple during the “hours of prayer” to spend time with God’s people all praying. What’s more amazing is how many miraculous moments spring from these moments of intentional, rhythmic prayer.
So I have started to implement two new disciplines in my prayer life. First, my intentional, scheduled rhythm to prayer. I have slated pauses throughout my day for nothing but prayer and meditation… first in the morning, then at noon/mid-day, and finally in the evening as I’m finishing up the workday. Second, I’m praying the Lord’s Prayer every day at mid-day. Why? Jesus uses the prayer not once, but twice in instructing His disciples how to pray. On the second time around in Luke 11 Jesus says, “When you pray, say…” and then proceeds to give them the Lord’s Prayer.
So I take Jesus at His word that He truly wants us to pray this prayer. But consider this… What if the whole church were to find a rhythm to their prayer lives and also pray together each day, around the same time, The Lord’s Prayer. I think it would be amazing. I wonder if this is something of what Jesus had in mind?
So that’s one of my New Year’s Resolutions… Pray and meditate 3 times a day and include the Lord’s Prayer in my time of meditation. I would love to invite you to join me. Peace!
2 responses so far ↓
Jim Goodman // January 24, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Great post! It highlights one of the greatest aspect of my growth in the Lord – getting into that rhythm of prayer morning, noon and night. Praying through the Psalms and including the Lords Prayer I do credit with setting my perspective right while going through on of the most difficult of trials I have ever faced over about a 2 year period. Through it I experienced God in ways I had only ever read about.
Benedict really made this a central point in the monastic communities. The Benedictines were to be diligent in study the Word, disciplined in praying the Word and submitted to one another in Community. He felt these 3 were inseparable.
He also emphasized praying the Lords Prayer 3 times per day not in vain repetition of prayers (which he was against) but because he recognized a need for each member to be reminded throughout the day of the very truths contained in it. That it should be prayed, not recited, it should be pondered not simply an exercise. A community can not grow as a community until everyone is in ‘unity’. Praying together at specific periods helps facilitate unity because the exercise is common to all.
In regards to the emphasis on the Lord’s Prayer one example of how this plays out in the community is much easier to forgive others when you realize you have been forgiven, which when pondered we recognized that none of us are any better than anyone else. Another is in recognition we are to be about God’s will and His Kingdom endeavors not our own which again we find encouragement and strength when we appropriate the Truth of how His Word becomes the very source of the most important sustenance. How I need to be reminded of that though out the daily grind of my day which seems so filled with toil, trouble, hurts and anxious moments.
In my time of trial, my thoughts were not clear, my emotions seemed out of control yet I could stop and God gave me the grace to focus on His Word in praying as you describe here.
I have gotten over those who criticized me and felt I was too Catholic or Emergent – I have pity on them because they have no idea what they are missing.
Sean Nelson // January 26, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Jim… Good insight, thanks for sharing. I know just in the short amount of time that I’ve been doing this, I’ve already experienced dramatic changes in my spiritual vibrance.
I’m very excited about keep this up throughout the year. Meditating on the Lord’s Prayer has also been very insightful and inspiring.
As for the criticism, que sera. I do feel sorry for people missing out on the life of devotion that is available through these disciplines.