Welcome to Week 35 of A 2020 Prayer Life!
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our prayer lives.
Do not short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Take one day at a time.
Do not short-circuit the process by reading only. Spend time in prayer. And allow your prayer time to be guided by each day's reflections and instructions.
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our prayer lives.
Do not short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Take one day at a time.
Do not short-circuit the process by reading only. Spend time in prayer. And allow your prayer time to be guided by each day's reflections and instructions.
August 26
Fanny Crosby's hymn, "I Am Thine, O Lord," includes this verse:
"O the pure delight of a single hour
that before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!"
For the past several weeks, we have been focusing our meditation on the reality of God as King. Crosby acknowledges that reality in this verse with her reference to "before Thy throne." Yet she concludes the verse with a quite different image than "king;" she concludes with the image of "friend."
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about Fanny Crosby's verse.
"O the pure delight of a single hour
that before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God,
I commune as friend with friend!"
For the past several weeks, we have been focusing our meditation on the reality of God as King. Crosby acknowledges that reality in this verse with her reference to "before Thy throne." Yet she concludes the verse with a quite different image than "king;" she concludes with the image of "friend."
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about Fanny Crosby's verse.
- Do I experience my time in prayer with You as an experience of being "before Thy throne"?
- Do I treat my time in prayer with You as an experience of being "before Thy throne"?
- Do I experience my time in prayer with You as an experience of "commune as friend with friend"?
- Do I treat my time in prayer with You as an experience of "commune as friend with friend"?
August 27
Fanny Crosby is not alone in her experience of a friendship with God. In the days ahead, we will consider others lyrics and passages of Scripture that point to that same truth. In your prayer time today, begin to meditate on that prospect and experience.
Make that your title for God. Call Him "Friend." Make that part of how you address Him during your prayer time this week. And as you do, talk with Him about these questions:
Make that your title for God. Call Him "Friend." Make that part of how you address Him during your prayer time this week. And as you do, talk with Him about these questions:
- Am I allowed to call You "Friend"? How do I know?
- Is that a relationship with You that is available to anyone or just some people? Which people? Why? How?
- If that is a relationship with You that is available to me, what should my response be in this moment?
- What should my response be tomorrow?
August 28
The Book of Exodus reports, "The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend." (Exodus 33:11 NASB)
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about that verse.
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about that verse.
- What does that verse tell me about Moses?
- What does that verse tell me about You?
- What does that verse have to do with me and You?
August 29
In John's account of the Last Supper, we read this word that Jesus spoke to His disciples: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15 NIV)
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about that verse.
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about that verse.
- Is the disciples' experience meant to be mine, as well?
- Does "servant" necessarily precede "friend" in relationship with You?
- Does "friend" automatically follow "servant" in relationship with You?
- What prevents us from being friends?
August 30
"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." (John 15:15 NIV)
In your prayer time, continue to talk with the Lord about that verse.
In your prayer time, continue to talk with the Lord about that verse.
- If I made a list of my friends, would I naturally include You on my list?
- Would those around me be surprised if Your name was on my list?
- Would those around me be surprised if Your name was not on my list?
- If you made a list of Your friends, would my name be on Your list?
August 31
Jesus lamented how "this generation" had failed to respond properly either to John the Baptist of to Him. "For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." (Matthew 11:18-19 NASB)
Today, we want to focus especially on the accusation that Jesus was "a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!" (Tax-gatherers were widely despised and condemned by the people of Jesus' day for selling out their own people, for consorting with Rome, and often for cheating and oppressing people.) In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about that attribute of His.
Today, we want to focus especially on the accusation that Jesus was "a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!" (Tax-gatherers were widely despised and condemned by the people of Jesus' day for selling out their own people, for consorting with Rome, and often for cheating and oppressing people.) In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about that attribute of His.
- What did you do that made people call You a "friend of sinners"?
- What does that tell me about You?
- What does that mean for my relationship with You?
September 1
As we conclude Week 35, we want to mediate on a verse from Joseph Scriven's cherished hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."
"Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer."
Talk with the Lord about Scriven's testimony. Embrace Him as Friend.
Talk with Him about His faithfulness.
Tell Him about your trials and temptations.
Share with Him your sorrows.
Tell Him what comes to your mind when you read, "Is there trouble anywhere?"
Affirm that you should never be discouraged because He is "a friend so faithful."
"Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness,
Take it to the Lord in prayer."
Talk with the Lord about Scriven's testimony. Embrace Him as Friend.
Talk with Him about His faithfulness.
Tell Him about your trials and temptations.
Share with Him your sorrows.
Tell Him what comes to your mind when you read, "Is there trouble anywhere?"
Affirm that you should never be discouraged because He is "a friend so faithful."