Have you ever considered moving out in the middle of nowhere? You know, you sat in traffic on the highway just one too many times? You fought with someone over a parking space at Costco? You keep paying more in taxes? Doesn’t it sound nice to be in a place that is quiet? Can you imagine how much time you would spend in prayer?
Maybe that is God’s plan for some of us but most of us are going to have to figure out how to fight traffic, look for parking spots, pay taxes and still have a vibrant relationship with Jesus through prayer.
After all, how could a person possibly live a productive life and accomplish what they want to accomplish in a world with so many distractions and frustrations? But somehow the majority of people are able to keep up with the favorite TV show, sports team, hobbies, etc. Why not apply that same approach toward prayer?
I am guessing our push back to that suggestion is, “Well, when I watch TV, sports, hobby I don’t have to think.” True. But that same approach can happen in prayer. Throughout church history we see a pattern of people reading their prayers. These prayers are not extemporaneous (praying whatever comes to your mind). Instead, they’re pre-written and sometimes memorized, all of them rooted in the Psalms and scriptures and creeds designed by followers of God to cultivate our souls toward the good, beautiful and true.
Yes, some may complain that such prayers are repetitive. They can easily become rote and boring. After all, didn’t Jesus teach us not recite empty phrases as the Gentiles in Matthew 6? To “pray” by simply repeating a word or phrase over and over is unbiblical. Prayer is not a magical formula, an incantation, or the determination to say the “right” words the right number of times. Prayer is not bead-counting. Prayer is a form of communication with the God of the universe made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
Therefore, finding a passage of Scripture or a written-out prayer that speaks to your head and your heart can be incredibly meaningful. I think about it like caring for sick soil. It may take years of turning the soil over, adding organic matter to fertilize it and water to soften it. But over time, those repeated rhythms transform the soil. They turn the soil from dry dirt into a seedbed of latent, life-giving potential.
Over the next 12-months our church family is challenging everyone to INCREASE IN PRAYER. What if this was a pattern of prayer that we could add to our life? I will warn you: it isn’t magic. You may feel nothing at first. In fact, expect to feel nothing. But you’re not doing this for a spiritual tingle. You may not hear God speak to you at first. That’s okay, He may not for years. But He may in moments.
Below are some resources for you to consider for repeated prayers:
- The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6:9-13
- The Prayer that Turned the World Upside Down.
- 2 Corinthians 1:2-4
- Ephesians 1:2-11
- Colossians 1:3-8
- Hebrews 4:16
North Village Church
This article was written by Pastor Michael Dennis, Lead Pastor at North Village Church; a non-denominational church in Austin, TX, established in 2009 and built around Jesus and Bible teaching.
Are you looking for a church in Austin? At North Village Church we put Jesus at the center of our church family. We worship together every Sunday at 10:30am, encourage Christ centered fellowship through groups, and host special events such as Bible studies and Theological Training, to ensure that we are rooted in in God’s Word. We also serve our local community in association with several Austin based organizations.
North Village Church is made up of professionals, married couples, singles, and families who are wanting to experience the life-transforming power of Jesus. If you are a family with children or teens, we can support you with either or both our Kids Ministry and Youth Ministry.
Check out our North Village Church calendar highlights such as our Christmas Eve Service in Austin and Easter Sunday Service.
You are welcome to contact us if you would like more information, please call (512)-623-9272 or email [email protected]
NVC Online
Unable to attend this Christian Church in Austin? Don’t worry, because, through God’s provision, we have created NVC online, an Online Church streaming a worship service every Sunday from 10:30am Central Time. You can also watch our short, powerful sermons on demand and follow us on Instagram for daily Christ centered content.
Recent Comments