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| Being real in prayer |
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18:16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 18:21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that [are] therein? 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which [am but] dust and ashes: 18:28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for [lack of] five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy [it]. 18:29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do [it] for forty's sake. 18:30 And he said [unto him], Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do [it], if I find thirty there. 18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for twenty's sake. 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for ten's sake. 18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
Take a few minutes to reflect on your own experience of prayer. When you try to pray, what do you do? Do you sit up straight, kneel, close your eyes, bow your head, put your hands in a special position , try to focus your mind in some way?
If you have any such routines of prayer, think about them alittle. Do they seem authentically helpful, or are some of them empty habits or dutiful obligations? Do you adopt any ritualized attitudes about yourself in Prayer? Do you censor certain thoughts or emotions? Can you be angry with God? Can you laugh and be silly in Prayer? Are there places in your life where you would never think of turning to God?
Now look back over your life with an eye for times when prayer has just happened, naturally and spontaneously. You may not have known it as prayer at the time, but lookfor hints of immediacy in the present moment, honesty of desire, some kind of reaching toward God. You may find some clues here, some ways of natural, uncontrived prayer that you might want to claim and cultivate.
If there is any "right" way of praying, it is that most simple and yet elusive one: to simply be yourself. Abraham was himself with God in this passage. I believe that is what God wants from us: our being with God consciously just as we are, with no censorship, no cleaning up our act, no posturing or posing--just be real.
----Gerald G. May
Thank you God
for the freedom
you have given me
to be myslef with
you in prayer.
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| To add a comment to "Being real in prayer" |
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| January 03, 2008 |
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As children we are taught to pray a certain prayer or a certain way, but as adults and our walk with our Father becomes stronger and we draw closer, I think (for me that is) I began to really open up to him as his child. I began to realize and see that I could talk to him just as I talk to you. There have been times walking through Wal-Mart, pumping gas, grocery shopping, just whenever that I would pray or talk to him. People can get stuck in ruts and get caught up in the right and wrong way of doing things. Just as small children run to their parents, we as children of God should run to him, anytime, anywhere,anyplace. We can talk about anything, ANYTHING and he listens and understands. He advise, guides and admonish when necessary beccause we are his. Each of us has to realize this for him/herself that he is as real as the air we breath.
Thanks for the word and much love.... |
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| January 03, 2008 |
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| My most beloved prayer time is when I just talk to God as My Father. Awhile back I got to missing my daddy and as God does He took this opportunity to reveal something me My God, My Saviour, My Lord, My Jesus is also My Daddy. It may sound silly to some of you but when I talk with My Heavely Daddy I feel like a little child being held in his arms. |
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