Bible, Walking with God

“P” is for Prayer

by nanettekirsch

A Daily Rhythm Encouragement

Originally published by Church on Morgan

 

As part of our focus all month on S.O.A.P., “P” is the final letter in this handy method for studying the Bible. If you missed S O and A—covered in weeks one through three—they’re as close as your inbox.

Prayer, a churchy word for talking with God, comes with a lot of baggage for many of us.

And yet without prayer SOAP is nothing but a letter jumble, because studying God’s Word absolutely is powered by prayer.

So how do we pray well? Here are two verses that have helped me grow in my prayer life:

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.”

And Thessalonians 5:16-18 reads: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

When I am feeling anxious I thank Him for taking care of me and my needs. I ask for Him to take my burden. And when I really do let Him have it I have experienced inexpressible peace in the face of the most challenging circumstances.

I certainly don’t pray without ceasing (yet), but I do try to pray as I go about my day; when I notice the beautiful Carolina sky in the school pickup line or stand for the national anthem at our son’s athletic events. When such things touch my heart I thank God for the blessings of the moment, for beauty, health, joy, etc.

So when does God get a turn to speak? When we read His Word. Prayer in this situation is a simple yet important discipline. When we sit down with Scripture, invite God in. My prayer usually sounds something like this:

Lord, thank you for this time with you. Please clear my mind so that I may hear your word, open my heart to embrace the truth you reveal to me and instill in me the desire to live it out in my life this day.

Thank you for joining me in cleaning up on our Bible study methods with a little SOAP. It’s been a pleasure!

Read from the beginning of this series Today’s Post Sponsored by the Letter “S”: Scripture

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One thought on ““P” is for Prayer”

  1. And when we pray … He sees the tears of our broken-hearted souls, and He hears our tears when they fall. God weeps along with us and takes us by the hand. Tears are a language that, as a lyricist once wrote, God understands.

    Thanks again for putting out here what the world needs to know about our Lord and Savior.

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