beWARM

Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. ~ Matthew 6:6

The Lenten 40, Day 7

This Scripture quote makes praying sound like a covert operation.  A plausible interpretation suggests that God doesn’t expect us to stand on the street corners and preach; rather, He encourages our moments of conversation with Him, unseen by anyone else.

God wants our prayers to spring from a desire to communicate and spend time with Him – not for the approval or endorsement of others.

He longs for our purest intentions.

For those of you who may just be joining us, we have been doing a Lenten Devotional – 40 Days to A Closer Walk With God, by J. David Muyskens

It revolves around including time for Centering Prayer each day.  Thomas Keating, founder of the Contemplative Outreach network that supports the practice of Centering Prayer, states the following guidelines:

1.Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within.

2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.

3. When engaged with your thoughts, return ever-so-gently to your sacred word.

4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.

Even if you don’t have the book, these suggestions can help you get started.

When we do enter that sacred silent space with the Lord, He does begin to light up our minds and hearts. That seemingly selfish time we devote to being in His Divine presence ultimately turns our hearts outward – to others, to the world.

And what next?

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  ~Psalm 119:105

Jesus calls us to desire a relationship with Him.  With faith and trust, we can also rely on Him to turn on the high beams when we are trying to find our way in the dark.

His call is simple:  Follow Me.

Are you willing?

Today’s Lectio: Matthew 6:5-6

My Word: UNSEEN  My Phrase:  Pray to Your Father

What have I not been seeing, Lord – because of my own mental roadblocks?  I pray that you will plow down those barriers, and make the way to forward progress clear.