We need to find time within our individual lives for openness to God. That is why a Methodist Way of Life suggests that we commit to daily prayer. Making a space in our day, however short, consciously to place ourselves in God’s presence; to share the things that are on our hearts and in our lives; to give thanks and to pray for others and perhaps most important (and most difficult) to be still and listen to God.
(From Finding the Way: Getting Started with a Methodist Way of Life)
We will pray – but how do we get started?
Resources:
Bible reading: Luke 11:1 – 4
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “LORD, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3Give us each day our daily bread. 4Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.'”
Some suggestions to think about from the reading, taken from the Methodist Way of Life preaching series
- Prayer is for the tough times too.
- Jesus’ own practice of prayer includes turning to God when things were hard – when drained (Matthew 14:23; Luke 5:16), when making hard decisions (Luke 6:12), in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36), in bereavement (John 11:41).
- When asked to teach his disciples about prayer, Jesus encourages them to ask daily for all that they need – bread is cited, but this could stand for a range of needs, it gives strength for the day.
- When we are carrying too much in life we become weary – prayer invites us to lay down those heavy packs. Our culture promotes self-sufficiency and independence; it moves us away from the habit of expressing need and asking for help. Maybe that’s why some of us find prayer a challenge?
- What do we need day by day? How is our recognition of need a kind of prayer?
We will pray daily – but how do we get into that routine?
Resources:
Bible reading: Proverbs 8:32 – 36
32“Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. 33Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. 34Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. 35For those who find me find life and receive favour from the LORD. 36But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.”
Some suggestions to think about from the reading, taken from the Methodist Way of Life preaching series
- In this lovely extract, God describes the happiness of those who are attentive to God, listening, watching and waiting daily at God’s gates and doors – i.e at the entry points of life.
- Seeing this passage as a description of prayer could be liberating. This sort of living, or praying, is about listening to and seeking after God, not about a system.
- In a contribution to BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought in October 2005, Rowan Williams used the image of sunbathing to illustrate how we encounter God in prayer: just relax and let it happen.
Some places to look for patterns of daily prayer:
A Word in Time – the Methodist Church’s daily Bible reading resource
How to use daily office – from the Northumbria Community based on Lindisfarne
Daily office from the Abbey worship book – from the Iona Community
For a printable version of this information please click here.
