Welcome to Week 36 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.
September 2
For several consecutive weeks, we contemplated the reality of God as King. Then, last week, we began to consider the possibility that we may call the King our Friend.
Make "Friend" your title for Him in prayer. Call Him "Friend" in prayer. And as you do, talk with Him about these questions.
(1) What does "Friend" reveal about You?
(2) What does "Friend" reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How could my calling you "Friend" impact and influence my relationship with You?
Make "Friend" your title for Him in prayer. Call Him "Friend" in prayer. And as you do, talk with Him about these questions.
(1) What does "Friend" reveal about You?
(2) What does "Friend" reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How could my calling you "Friend" impact and influence my relationship with You?
September 3
Some titles and adjectives that we use for the Lord are unique to Him. "God," for example, is not a word that we are likely to apply meaningfully to other people or things. Likewise, terms like "almighty" and "omniscient" are used exclusively for Him.
"Friend," on the other hand, is a very common terms. We use it routinely. Indeed, so far from the titles and adjectives that are used exclusively for God, "friend" is used mostly for others, not for God, at all.
Borrowing, then, from our human understanding of what it is to be a "friend," list some differences between a good friend and a bad friend. Take several minutes to contemplate and list the differences.
When you have finished the previous list, now make a list of attributes that would characterize a good friend. Invest some time in thinking about and listing the attributes.
Now with those lists before you in prayer, tell the Lord what you have learned about Him as a Friend. Praise Him for the kind of Friend He is. Thank Him for the kind of Friend He has been to you. Call Him "Friend" in prayer, and talk to Him about what that means for your relationship with Him.
"Friend," on the other hand, is a very common terms. We use it routinely. Indeed, so far from the titles and adjectives that are used exclusively for God, "friend" is used mostly for others, not for God, at all.
Borrowing, then, from our human understanding of what it is to be a "friend," list some differences between a good friend and a bad friend. Take several minutes to contemplate and list the differences.
When you have finished the previous list, now make a list of attributes that would characterize a good friend. Invest some time in thinking about and listing the attributes.
Now with those lists before you in prayer, tell the Lord what you have learned about Him as a Friend. Praise Him for the kind of Friend He is. Thank Him for the kind of Friend He has been to you. Call Him "Friend" in prayer, and talk to Him about what that means for your relationship with Him.
September 4
As we have noted throughout the year, the titles that Scripture uses for God are almost all relational. And because they are relational, they are not stand-alone terms, but imply counterpart title for someone else in the relationship. And so, when we use any of these titles for God, we automatically imply some counterpart title for ourselves.
We have noted before, for example, that calling Him "Shepherd" is to call oneself "sheep." To call Him "my Father" is identify yourself as "His child."
In the case of the title "friend," however, we encounter a remarkable phenomenon. The title for Him and the title for you are the same. This is not Creator and creature, Potter and clay, or Father and child. If He is "Friend," then you must also be "friend."
In your prayer time just now, make that title how you identify yourself. And as you do, talk with Him about these questions.
(1) What does this title for me reveal about me?
(2) What does this title for me reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How might this title for myself impact and influence my relationship with You?
We have noted before, for example, that calling Him "Shepherd" is to call oneself "sheep." To call Him "my Father" is identify yourself as "His child."
In the case of the title "friend," however, we encounter a remarkable phenomenon. The title for Him and the title for you are the same. This is not Creator and creature, Potter and clay, or Father and child. If He is "Friend," then you must also be "friend."
In your prayer time just now, make that title how you identify yourself. And as you do, talk with Him about these questions.
(1) What does this title for me reveal about me?
(2) What does this title for me reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How might this title for myself impact and influence my relationship with You?
September 5
Two days ago, you identified the differences between a good friend and a bad friend. You also listed the characteristics of a good friend.
Then, yesterday, you recognized that, if God is your Friend, it follows that you are His.
Combine the reflections of the past two days, and in your prayer time today, talk with Him about the kind of friend you have been to Him.
In the list of differences between a good friend and a bad friend, which have I tended to be to You?
In the list of attributes of a good friend, which ones have characterized me in my relationship with You?
What would it look like for our relationship if I exhibited all of the attributes of a good friend?
Then, yesterday, you recognized that, if God is your Friend, it follows that you are His.
Combine the reflections of the past two days, and in your prayer time today, talk with Him about the kind of friend you have been to Him.
In the list of differences between a good friend and a bad friend, which have I tended to be to You?
In the list of attributes of a good friend, which ones have characterized me in my relationship with You?
What would it look like for our relationship if I exhibited all of the attributes of a good friend?
September 6
As we have recognized in earlier weeks, any relationship comes with certain implicit or explicit expectations. In a marriage, for example, we make the expectations of love, faithfulness, and commitment explicit in the wedding vows. And we go through each day of married life with implicit expectations of things like attention, concern, communication, and such.
Those relational expectations, however, depend heavily upon the quality of the other person involved. We reasonably have higher expectations of a good boss than we do of a bad one, for example. And this week, we have considered the attributes of a good friend.
With all of that before you, then, ponder this question: What can I reasonably expect from a good Friend in my relationship with Him? Jot down what comes to mind.
Now, in prayer, call Him "Good Friend," and talk to Him about what you have learned. Talk to Him about your understanding of your reasonable expectations. Thank and praise Him for these. And talk to Him about your experience in relation to Him as your good Friend.
Those relational expectations, however, depend heavily upon the quality of the other person involved. We reasonably have higher expectations of a good boss than we do of a bad one, for example. And this week, we have considered the attributes of a good friend.
With all of that before you, then, ponder this question: What can I reasonably expect from a good Friend in my relationship with Him? Jot down what comes to mind.
Now, in prayer, call Him "Good Friend," and talk to Him about what you have learned. Talk to Him about your understanding of your reasonable expectations. Thank and praise Him for these. And talk to Him about your experience in relation to Him as your good Friend.
September 7
As we approach the end of Week 36, we turn again to some of Joseph Scriven's words from his cherished hymn, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus."
"Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
Take it to the Lord in prayer."
As you reflect on Scriven's words, think first of your human friends. Jot down a list of the names of human beings who have been good friends to you when you have been "weak and heavy-laden." Who has been a good friend to you when you have been "cumbered with a load of care."
After your prayer time today, you may want to reach out to the people on your list to let them know about the list on which their name appeared and to thank them for being exemplary friends at crucial times.
In your prayer time:
"Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge--
Take it to the Lord in prayer."
As you reflect on Scriven's words, think first of your human friends. Jot down a list of the names of human beings who have been good friends to you when you have been "weak and heavy-laden." Who has been a good friend to you when you have been "cumbered with a load of care."
After your prayer time today, you may want to reach out to the people on your list to let them know about the list on which their name appeared and to thank them for being exemplary friends at crucial times.
In your prayer time:
- Thank the Lord for those friends on your lists.
- Consider with Him how important good human friends have been to you, and to whom you might be that sort of much-needed friend.
- Ask Him what the example of those excellent human friends teaches you about Him.
September 8
As we conclude Week 36, we turn to these final words from Scriven's hymn:
"Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there."
In this verse, Scriven acknowledges times when the Lord is our only friend -- that is, when our human friends fail or abandon us. In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about those times in your experience when He has been the only one you could turn to. Recall what you were going through, what you experienced with others, and what you experienced with Him. Let yourself freely thank and praise Him for the Friend He has been to you.
"Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there."
In this verse, Scriven acknowledges times when the Lord is our only friend -- that is, when our human friends fail or abandon us. In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about those times in your experience when He has been the only one you could turn to. Recall what you were going through, what you experienced with others, and what you experienced with Him. Let yourself freely thank and praise Him for the Friend He has been to you.