Glocal Christianity

Missional Prayer

When you hear the phrase, missional prayer, what do you think it is?

What makes prayer missional or unmissional?

Here are a few thoughts I have. Firstly, as with David Augsburger and Richard Foster, I would say there are three dimensions to Christian spirituality: moving upwards in worship (God focus), moving inwards in confession (self focus), moving outwards in intercession (other focus). And I would say this three dimentional perspective necessarily leads to some related questions, which are: What is missional worship? What is missional confession? What is missional intercession? So to expand...

Prayers of worship. Prayer, when missional, begins with the recognition that our God is a missional God, a self sending God. Before we speak of God, we should listen to God, and the God who speaks through scripture is a sending (and sent) God. This is the God we worship. When our master taught us how to pray, he left no gap between "Our heavenly Father, holy is your name" and "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven". Neither should we. God is not passive, God is active.

Prayers of confession. Prayer, when missional, includes recognition that what is wrong with the world begins with us, with I. Changing the world begins with changing the self. Changing society begins with changing the church … and we are the church … so it begins with our own confession and inner transformation, as individuals and as a community. We cannot expect any missional success whilever the church, whilever we, remain introspective and arrogant.

Prayers of intercession. Prayer, when missional, includes recognition that God saved us whilst we were all enemies of God. Intercession should therefore include prayers for forgiveness of our enemies, that as we have come to know the ways of faith and love, so they would come to to know the ways of faith and love. Intercessory prayer, when missional, does not involve the demonization of enemies, whatever gods they worship. Demonization is of the devil.

So, what happens for you inside, reading this? Are you draw to it? Do you object violently? Are you left with questions or uneasy feelings? I would like to hear, even if you don't normally comment.

Christian Prayers for Peace

Prayer for Peace

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

--St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)

Related links for prayers for peace

• A collection of Prayers for Peace
• Jewish, Christian and Muslim Prayers for Peace
• Prayers for Peace in the Middle East
• Prayer for Inner Peace

How to pray, every day

In my online researches I recently stumbled upon an Anabaptist version of what others have called the Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office, and what I would call a guide to daily prayer. It is called Take our Moments and Our Days. What I like about this Anabaptist version is the threefold rhythm of "the call to praise", "the call to discipleship" and "the call to intercession" which beautifully expresses the tripolar spirituality of Augsburger.

The Blind Beggar in Critical Condition

Subversive Influence advises: "I received an email from Rob Robinson about a half hour ago informing me that Rick Meigs (who blogs at The Blind Beggar, is behind Friend of Missional and is one of the seven Missional Tribe instigators) has been in a motorcycle accident and is in critical condition." Please pray for Rick. This does not sound good.

Prayer. Do You Ever Get Distracted?

"Stand resolute, fully intent on your prayer. Pay no heed to the concerns and thoughts that might arise the while. They do nothing better than disturb and upset you so as to dissolve the fixity on your purpose.”

Evagrius Ponticus, The Praktikos

Living on a Prayer

Sometimes, like most of us, I experience spiritual dryness and difficulties in my prayer life.

One book I have been finding helpful has been Don Carson's, "A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and his Prayers." In it Carson lays a biblical framework for prayer through exploring the prayers of the apostle Paul. Solid stuff. Some good practical tips too. Just a simple one is this,

"...you can do many things to stamp out daydreaming, to stifle reveries. One of the most useful things is to vocalize your prayers. This does not mean they have to be so load that they become a distraction to others, or worse, a kind of pios showing off. It simply means you articulate your prayers, moving your lips perhaps; the energy devoted to expressing your thoughts in words and sentances will order and discipline your mind, and help deter meandering."

And it works. When I am overtired and stressed, as I am at the moment, my mind frequently wanders and I find it hard to focus in prayer. Simple verbalising, even at inaudible levels, helps bring the focus back.

How about you? Do you every experience distractions in prayer? What do you find helps you to focus?

Prayer for the day

My Lord and Savior,
You became man and labored with your hands
Until the time of your ministry.
Bless me as I begin this work.
Help me to bring it to completion.
Lord, enlighten my mind and strengthen my body,
That I may accomplish my task according to your will.
Guide me to bring about works of goodness
To Your service and glory.
Amen.

Halloween Prayer

This evening I honour the dead
    The saints passed on before me
Those who have enriched me
    Guided me 
            Inspired me
LORD, come
I await you and your bride.

Prayer for acceptance of God's will

Lord,
I do not know what to ask of You.
You know better than me what my needs are.
You love more than I know how to love.
Help me to see clearly my real needs which I do not see.
I open my heart to You.
Examine and reveal to me my faults and sins.
I put all trust in You.
I have no other desire than to fulfill Your will.
Teach me how to pray.
Pray in me.
Amen.

- Unknown

Prayers for Repentance

God, my good and loving Lord,
I acknowledge all the sins which I have committed
Every day in my life,
Whether in thought, word or deed.
I ask for forgiveness from the depths of my heart
For offending You and others and repent of my old ways.
Help me by Your grace to change,
To sin no more and to walk in the way of righteousness
And to praise and glorify Your Name,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

- Unknown

Prayers Before Any Task

My Lord and Savior,
You became man and labored with your hands
Until the time of your ministry.
Bless me as I begin this work.
Help me to bring it to completion.
Lord, enlighten my mind and strengthen my body,
That I may accomplish my task according to your will.
Guide me to bring about works of goodness
To Your service and glory.
Amen.

Prayer when facing the unknown

O Lord,
You who steadied the hand of Peter
As he began to sink on the stormy sea,
If you are with me, no one is against me.
Grant to me the shield of faith
And the mighty armor of the Holy Spirit
To protect me and guide me to do Your will.
The future I put into Your hands, O Lord,
And I follow You to a life in Christ.
Amen

- Unknown

Prayer for Simplicity

Lord, help me now to unclutter my life,
to organise myself in the direction of simplicity.

Lord, teach me to listen to my heart;
teach me to welcome change, instead of fearing it.

Lord, I give You these stirrings inside me,
I give You my discontent,
I give You my restlessness,
I give You my doubt
I give You my despair
I give You all the longings I hold inside.

Help me to listen to these signs of change, of growth;
to listen seriously and follow where they lead,
through the breathtaking empty space of an open door.

- Northumbria Community (from Celtic Daily Prayer)

Faithful Mysticism

What’s your understanding of Christian mysticism and contemplative prayer? As an evangelical Christian I shy away from defining mysticism as “union with God” for I find the phrase too soteriologically loaded. If we are justified by faith then we are already united with God in our baptism. We are already one with God through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. To speak of a union beyond this risks marginalizing the importance of justifying faith in following Jesus, so we need to be very cautious here.

But is there no place to speak of mystical transformation? Well yes, I think there is, most definitely, but here is where we need to shift our focus to sanctifying faith. In Romans 1:5 the apostle Paul speaks of “the obedience that comes from faith” and in Romans 12:2 he urges us “be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” So yes, the New Testament makes it quite clear we should expect tangible change in our awareness, our character and our lives. But this transformation comes from God’s initiative. We are sanctified as we are justified – through faith.

As Thomas Merton observes in the New Seeds of Contemplation, “True contemplation is not arrived at by an effort of the mind” (p147), “The first step to contemplation is faith” (p146), “Faith, then, is the only way of opening up the true depths of reality.” (p137) Quite simply, union with God is found in faith, from beginning to end.

Prayer for the Journey

Lord, take me where You want me to go;
Let me meet who You want me to meet;
Tell me what You want me to say, and
Keep me out of Your way.

Father Mychal Judge, 2001

I am facing some significant career choises this week. My contract finishes, not this Friday but the next, and I have verbally received two job offers for roles elsewhere. Waiting for the paperwork to arrive. Feeling anxious. Hoping I am making the right decision for me and the family. Prayers for the journey appreciated.