Praying Like Jesus
Dear High Street Family,
The Secret Place series has been so challenging and refreshing for me these last few weeks.
In my own busy schedule, it's forced me to slow down.
In my internal world, it's forced me to be honest with the Lord about my own prayer life, to pray true prayers, to trust, to surrender.
And in my ministry, it's challenged me afresh to root what we're doing and dreaming about in an authentic conversation that flows from our Father's heart.
This last Sunday, our own, Janet Vanderhoof, preached a powerful and restorative sermon on The Secret Place and Reconciliation. I highly recommend listening through it.
Watch Last Sunday's Sermon The Secret Place and Reconciliation from our series The Secret Place
One of the most difficult and beautiful realities of going to The Secret Place with the Lord is that we not only open ourselves to an encounter with the God of the Universe, we are also invited to see a bit more of the realities of our own hearts, too.
"When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you" Matthew 6:6.
As we withdraw from the public eye into a private space, away from people's evaluations, from comparison, self-inflation, religiosity, etc...
We are led by Jesus to pray in a place where the loudest sound is our own breath.
Where our outer life slows down.
And the volume of our inner life increases.
And there, rather than empty ourselves totally, Jesus says, pray this way--and leads us into relational interaction with Our Father.
Jesus’ prayer is a launching pad for our own Secret Place, coaching us into Jesus' way of relating to God.
I encourage you now to take a moment of quiet and whisper each word in the Lord's prayer slowly, as if He's really there with You.
Take 5-30 seconds with each word.
You'll find a whole meditative conversation hidden in each one that blossoms from the Holy Spirit's work in your heart.
Try it now"
"Our..."
Pause.
"Father..."
Pause
"Who...
Pause
"Is..."
Pause
"In Heaven"
Pause
"Holy"
Pause
"Is"
Pause
"Your"
Pause
"Name"
You can go as long or as short as you want, but I've talked with people in our church and in a variety of other ministries who find Jesus' prayer really does lauch them deeper into The Secret Place.
Looking forward to more this Sunday!
Pastor Dave