“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.” Exodus 17:11
Lent is a journey. We are walking in memory with our Savior Jesus Christ and this journey always ends in sacrifice and victory. But Lent is the perfect time to explore different types of spiritual discipline. It’s a great time to engage ourselves in different practices. The way I look at it Easter is for the church, the same as New Year’s is for the gym. why not try it out, see what works, and explore new and different spiritual disciplines. In the excitement of the risen Lord now is our time to engage our faith journey’s with intent, focus, and passion.
So, as part of the weekly blog series I am going to engage us every week with different spiritual disciplines.
This week we are looking at the most basic but often overlooked discipline Prayer.
Prayer is so effortless that is can be mistaken for powerless, or too easy. It’s like the stretching of spiritual exercise, “There can’t be much value, because it’s so easy to do.” But without limbering up after every work out soon, the harder stuff like weights, running, or cross fit can lead to injury, or stiffness. Stretching keeps the body limber and able to move well. What is the use of being a 230 lb. muscle machine if you can’t move well. Same with prayer. How can you know God only through a book or public opinion, but never really have dialogue with Him.
The practical challenge this week is 1.) Reading this story in full in Exodus. Moses has to keep his hands in the air as a sign of prayer and as long as Moses is in this prayer posture Israel is winning the battle, but when he lets his hands drop, or looses his prayer posture Boom! Israel begins to loose.
Take this in our spiritual lives. The moment we stop praying, even if we maintain some other spiritual disciplines we are loosing our relationship with God. Paul says to pray without ceasing.
The other piece to the practical challenge is this. Visit this link: http://www.positiveprayers.com/4-types-of-prayers.html
Check out all this different kinds of Prayers, postures, and even positions.
About three Easters ago my pastor and I were in his office and he said “come let’s get down on our knees and pray!” Then without question this grown man gets on his knees in the middle of his office and starts to pray. I joined in and he grinned afterward and said, “Hey why did you change?” When I was face down before God my language, attitude, and entire demeanor changed. Because I put myself in a different prayer position it reminded me of the reverence I need to have when in God’s presence. It was amazing. Try the tradition kneeling bed side, or the standing with arms out like moses. Just shake up your prayer life this week, because God is dying to hear from you!
Just remember prayer is our connection to God and when we walk away from it the battle is all but lost.
Strive on my friends, Strive on!
Pastor Richard
focusonthecross.org
