Basic Beliefs: Lord, Teach Us To Pray - AFC 1997

When You Pray Say . . .;

Matthew 6:9­13, Ex. 17:4, 1Sam.1:11, Job 7:1­20, Ps. 13, Jer. 20:7
Spend time with the one who loves you, and listen.

Parallels exist between the way a human love relationship develops and the way our love relationship with God develops
Phases
The character of the relationship changes over time. - romance, passion, disillusionment, adaptation, respect, oneness
Takes time
Relationships are not destinations but journeys. It is the sharing of the better and the worse, the births and the deaths, the sickness and health, the misunderstandings and reconciliations‹time spent together through it all eventually enables love to flower into maturity. So it may be in our life with God.
Takes communication
Relationships require communication‹speaking and listening, touching, remembering, and sitting in silence, presence.
Communication with God is called prayer.

Speaking in Prayer
Jesus prayed. His prayer and action followed in a constant rhythm.
Jesus taught simple, honest, balanced prayer.
Jesus invited his followers to address God as Father, bidding them to participate in deeper intimacy with God.
The first principle of prayer is to be yourself before God.
Review the Lord's Prayer and rewrite it in words that are your own.

Listening in Prayer
"Be still and know that I am God!". Ps 46:10
Nothing seems more difficult because listening prayer requires giving up control and trusting the Holy Spirit. We simply place ourselves in the presence of God, open to whatever may or may not happen.
The most common form of listening prayer is meditation. It requires thinking, feeling and imagination. It commonly focuses on scripture (Ps. 1:1­2), God's action in one's own life (Ps. 63:3­8), and the natural world (Ps.19:1).

Meditating on scripture
Be willing to "waste time".
Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide your reading
In quiet reverence, slowly read the text.
Stop and listen to the text, reflect on it.
Savor the words. Reflect on the metaphors. Ponder the concepts in your heart.
Consider the meaning for your own life.
Listen for insights.
Memorization allows you to extend your meditation.
Consider Isaiah 40:31 for starters.

Prayer is your response to your awareness of God‹how are you responding?