Midweek Devotion Prayer

What is quality prayer time? It is time when you get alone with God for the purpose of fellowship and worship. Jesus himself would go to a solitary place to spend time in prayer. Why do you think that he found this necessary? Following a busy day and before another day began I believe that Jesus was seeking focus, and was recharging his batteries. However it seems like he didn’t go far enough. The disciples found him and reminded him that there were many waiting for him.

How often do we begin to pray and then allow ourselves to be distracted? Many times I will plan on getting up earlier than normal to read and pray but I end up hitting the snooze button. Or I actually make time and I read and begin to pray and my mind begins to wonder.

We all need to pray and experience the fullness of our relationship with God. We would be much the poorer to leave the development of our prayer life either to those times when we hit our thumbs with hammers, or when tragedy strikes. Though these times are times for prayer too, an ever deepening relationship with God demands a more sustained approach.

There are different types of prayer and I have come to try to be intentional in praying different types of prayers. There are prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, intercession and petition. Many of us are very good at praying for others (intercession) and ourselves (petition) but we leave out other aspects of prayer.

Adoration is praise of God and expresses our love. To adore means to be caught up with the reality of God’s nature. No matter how intensely we know, feel or discern God’s presence the reality is that God is greater than our thoughts, emotions or intuitions. God’s love is greater than any love that we could experience. God’s compassion is greater than any care we could be shown. God’s providence is greater than any generosity we could receive. In the face of such reality the only true response is that of adoration.

In times of true adoration words fall short. There are other languages we use to communicate for example, body language or gesture. When lost in adoration people use gesture as well as words in response. Luke records Peter’s early encounter with Jesus. After hauling in the miraculous catch of fish Peter falls at Jesus feet with words ’Depart from me master for I am a sinful man.’ And Matthew writes of the disciples as they met their resurrected Lord: ’Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.’ (Mat 28:9 NRSV). Other forms of gesture indicating adoration are bowing, kneeling, and closing our eyes. That is one reason we offer the gestures we do in worship prayer is more than words.

Adoration is about losing oneself in the awe and wonder of God, but this response does not mean that we become insignificant as a result. The New Testament tells us that in losing ourselves we find ourselves. This is the way to find one’s self; beginning a relationship of adoration of God.