Moving Forward in a New Pattern

Merry December!

This Christmas season is feeling so different for me. On reflection, I think it’s Ryan’s fault. These book club books are pushing me to engage with God on some big time, deep seeded, embedded belief systems- and stuff is getting churned up! I know, I know…its God’s work, but to quote my kids, and in the best possible way, “Ryan started it!”

In Praying Like Monks, I was probably most challenged by the story of the man who shared about writing the names of people he was praying for on a list he kept in his pocket. The speaker recounted how the man prayed until each one of those people came into a relationship with Jesus, then encouraged his congregation to write down names of people they were committing to pray for and keep the list with them. In the emotionally charged moment, hearing of the miracles and feeling inspired, the people made a list and certainly promised to pray consistently.

After a period of time, the speaker brought up the story again. He asked if anyone still had their list. One person. One person held up his hand. What a turn of emotion in this chapter!! While reading, I went from inspired devotion; sure that I would also make a list and keep it with me at all times, and pray without ceasing for the people I named, to a gut punch of a reality check! When is a time I have stuck with prayer that faithfully for a prolonged time?

As a church family we walked the 360 room and did the 2023 version of making a list. We took pictures of prayer requests on the Our Father prayer boards and we…put them in our pockets. So many of those prayers had to do with financial needs, which we know are directly connected to the financial needs of our church. The church body is a reflection of the individual lives. When we walked the room, were we not filled with the compassion of the Spirit and the desire to pray without ceasing? Isn’t this part of our passion as the Financial Prayer Team?

But it’s December. Things are getting busier and busier. Other thoughts and activities and plans are crowding our brains and our schedules. That is unless round two of your reading gut punch is Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. Then you are actually thinking about a sabbath day, or the single minded practice of NOT multitasking, or reducing the clutter around you to make availability for restful, engaging times of prayer. 

Being in the tension is hard. There is a place for confession and for receiving more of Jesus and for moving forward in a new pattern. New patterns are hard in December. There are many resources, but sometimes just a written prayer (yours or a scripture/liturgy/poem) can help put words to an indescribable desire for intimacy above all else.

O God, in whom is the well of living waters,
O God, in whose light we see light, 
Increase in us the brightness
Of your knowledge, illuminating
The path to your flowing fountain-
There impart to our thirsting souls
The water of life, and restore
To our darkened minds
The light from heaven.

Today, let’s pause everything and think deeply for a moment of the prayers we committed to pray in our Spirit-filled passions, and bring them again to the Light of Heaven.