Session 5: Prayer and Action

July 15, 2008 · Posted in Retreats · Comment 

Prayer

Question: Who here is leading the kind of prayer life that they want?

Follow-up: Who struggles with the desire to pray more?

  1. We undo the burden of feeling we must ‘meet the standard’ of the prayer lives we think others lead.
    1. Ps 131 My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty…

Have you ever hard someone gush about their prayer life and felt like a failure? Many people talk about prayer, discuss around it, and then are very discouraged when they fail to experience the prayer life that others seem to grow in.

Question: Why do you lose the desire to pray? (Lack of results, lack of discipline, burdened and disillusioned, tired/wilderness time)

  1. As in all things, we look first to Jesus-his life was a balance of spiritual disciplines.

    “…prayer will not be established in our lives…unless we are practicing other disciplines such as solitude and fasting. In many Protestant churches prayer and Bible study are held up as THE activities that will make us spiritually rich. But very few people actually succeed in attaining spiritual richness through them and often find them to be intolerably burdensome. The ‘open secret’ of many ‘Bible believing’ churches is that a vanishingly small percentage of those talking about prayer and Bible reading are actually doing what they are talking about. They have not been shown how to change their life as a whole..[italics added].“

    -The Spirit of the Disciplines, D. Willard, p. 193.

    1. For some of us, we simply need balance back in our spiritual life to restore a desire to pray.
    2. We learn to pray by praying!

    “Prayer is to religion what original research is to science.”

    -P.T. Forsythe

    1. It ceases to be a discipline, and becomes a way of life.

    “In the beginning we are indeed the subject and the center of our prayers. But in God’s time and in God’s way a Copernican revolution takes place in our heart. Slowly there is a shift in our center of gravity. We pass from thinking of God as part of our lives to the realization that we are part of his life. Wondrously and mysteriously God moves from the periphery of our prayer experience to the center. A conversion of the heart takes place, a transformation of the spirit [italics added].“

    -Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home, R. Foster, p. 14.

    1. This is where the Lord ’stands at the door and knocks’ (remember, this bit in Revelations was written to believers, not unbelievers)—he wants to re-orient us so that he can give us more of himself.
    2. Luke 11:5-12

    Question: Apply to study tools we learned yesterday to this passage and discuss. What sticks out?

    1. Persistence
    2. Expectation

    Question: Have you ever notice that it seems the Lord works powerfully in our lives at retreats and conferences? Why with such regularity, and why do we sometimes not see this regularity in our day to day lives? (Answer: We come to a retreat/conference with expectation)

    Question: Where are you at?

Action

“This is the way it is with the Spiritual Disciplines-they are a way of sowing to the Spirit (Gal. 6:8). The Disciplines are God’s way of getting us into the ground; they put us where he can work within us and transform us. By themselves the Disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where something can be done. They are God’s means of grace.”

-Celebration of Discipline, R. Foster, p. 7.

Where do you go from here?

  1. Read Chapter 5 in Deep Rooted in Christ—The Way of Transformation.

  2. Spend 30 minutes reflecting and praying on the following two questions:
    1. Ask the Holy Spirit to come and profile your primary strengths and weaknesses. In what area do you have a weakness? (might be an inability to focus, excessive talking, life too busy, particular sin, etc)
    2. As a leader, the nature of influence is such that our lives are the primary vehicle by which we influence others. In what area of your life do you desire your influence to increase?
  3. Select a spiritual discipline or habit that you will commit to practicing regularly for at least six months.
  4. Return to group and in groups of two, discuss what you have chosen to do, and pray for each other.
  5. Return to large group for worship and prayer.

Additional scriptures for later meditation

Readings: Daniel 5:31-34, Luke 14:31-33, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 10:38-42 (meditate on what Jesus means by ‘only one thing is needed’, or in other translations, ‘the only necessary thing’), Luke 11:1-13

Psalms: Psalm 149:1-5, 96:2-3, 119:169, 147:13-21, 42:1-7, 66:7-12 and 16-17, 144:5-8, 116:4-8, 51:11-13

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Session 2: Solitude Exercise

July 14, 2008 · Posted in Retreats · 1 Comment 





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Session 2: Solitude

July 14, 2008 · Posted in Retreats · Comment 

“In solitude, we purposefully abstain from interaction with other human beings, denying ourselves companionship and all that comes from our conscious interaction with others. We close ourselves away; we go to the ocean, to the desert, the wilderness, or to the anonymity of the urban crowd…. solitude is choosing to be alone…”

Intro

  1. Question: Is anyone here a tradesman? Do you know someone who has gone through an apprenticeship? Answer: An apprentice spends time with a master in order to learn to live and do as they do.
  2. We are apprentices of Jesus.
    1. We get this. We’re leaders.
    2. Question: But why is apprenticeship to Jesus of any value? Isn’t it enough to just ‘believe’?
      1. We will not become like Jesus if we do not apprentice ourselves to him (And we will not be able to do the things he did)

        -failure to understand how we become like Jesus and learn to live and to do as he lived and did is chronic in today’s church

      2. The “way of the light yoke and easy burden”, the “abundant life”, assume apprenticeship to Jesus and assume a life of discipline

        -In other words, freedom is not accidental

      3. It is the key to evangelism and disciple-making
        1. Daniel’s story re: ‘mommy, a man is at the door who looks like Jesus’
        2. As evangelicals, we are by default taught that ‘the gospel truth is enough, and if we have got apologetics down or can mount a cogent argument for the historical Jesus, that’s all you need for evangelism’. It’s not. Our lives and our actions are a primary vehicle to calling others to Jesus.
        3. We call others to follow Jesus because we believe that the way of Jesus is the best—at some point, we have made a decision not to follow Buddha or Mohammed, because we have become convinced that the way of life that Jesus offers now (not just in the future) is simply beautiful and perfect. Do our lives seem like ‘best practice’ to others?
    3. If we apprentice ourselves to Jesus, we will take a careful look at his life and the things he did—and practice those things.

Solitude helps us to place ourselves before the Lord for transformation and create space to be ‘with God’.

  1. Solitude was a regular practice for Jesus: Matt 4:1-11, Luke 6:12, Matt 14:13, Matt 14:23, Mark 1:35, Mark 6:31, Luke 5:16, Matt. 17:1-9, Matt 26:36-46

    Mark 1:35 records an interesting decision made by Jesus after his time of solitude and prayer—picture Jesus here experiencing phenomenally successful ministry, and then going off for prayer alone, and returning with a decision to leave this comfortable place and go elsewhere. Jesus only did what he ’saw the Father doing’, and His Father told him to move on in that time of solitude. Would we hear God’s voice to move on if we were experiencing such phenomenal success? Chances are, no, unless we were alone and free of the distractions clouding our ability to hear the Lord’s direction.

  2. Solitude removes our normal influences. The normal course of our day-to-day interactions locks us into patterns of feeling, thought, and action that are geared to a world set against God-only solitude helps us break free of the influence of these thought patterns.

Solitude frees us from the control that others and our surroundings exert on our minds.

  1. Freedom: This frees us from some of the obstacles in our path to hearing God’s voice. We don’t HAVE to be alone and still to hear God speak, but solitude is the training ground for being able to hear his voice anywhere-we’ll be able to recognize it in the chaos of the workday if we’ve learned to hear it in solitude.
  2. Training: We train to reach inward ‘heart solitude’ by means of outer solitude. Inner solitude=freedom from the influences of surrounding and people around us, and responsive to the Lord no matter where we are. Have you ever known someone who appeared completely still and peaceful inside no matter the circumstances? Jesus lived in inward ‘heart solitude’.

    “These tiny snatches of time are often lost to us. What a pity! They can and should be redeemed. They are times for inner quiet, for reorienting our lives like a compass needle. They are little moments that help us to be genuinely present where we are (italics added).”

Exercise:

  1. Find a place in the retreat centre or Park where you can be alone. In the next two hours:
    1. Read excerpts from Making all Things New, by Henri Nouwen.
    2. Reflect on and and prayerfully answer any 2 questions
  2. At the end of 2 hours, return to your small groups and discuss your answers, and your experience with solitude. After twenty minutes return to the large group and we will share a few or our experiences with each other.

Additional scriptures for later meditation

Readings: Matt 6:1-4, Hebrews 12:2-4, Luke 9:18-22, Romans 8:14-15, 17, Joel 2:12-13, John 12:27-43, Luke 17:22-25

Psalms: 107:2-3, 7-8, 18:1-2, 62:6, 119:55, 25:3-4, 1, 5:13-15, 40:10-1

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Retreat Session 1: Welcome and Relinquishment

July 13, 2008 · Posted in Retreats · Comment 

“In the morning while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you.”

Mark 1:35-37

In the midst of movement, stillness; involved yet withdrawing, among people yet finding solitude, the opening chapter of Mark’s Gospel reveals a pattern of life in Jesus that we are invited to explore and embrace. We shall discover a rhythm of life which encourages us to deepen our relationship with God and discern his will, to be led by the Spirit, not driven. It is in the rhythm of prayer and engagement with the world, contemplation and action that we grow in relationship, wisdom, and discernment.

Jesus, the teacher, is our example. He often withdrew to lonely places to pursue connection and centeredness in the presence of God. Silence, solitude and prayer provide the space for insight, healing, transformation and renewed vision to occur in our lives–essential rhythms in the lives of those who pursue apprenticeship to Jesus.

Orientation by AHWL

Retreat Administration

Prayer

  • Morning, noon, and evening prayers are scheduled as a suggestion.
  • The chapel will be a place for corporate prayer at the daily prayer times if you wish to engage in prayer with others. At all other times, excluding scheduled sessions, the chapel will be available to worship, meditation, and silence.

Study/writing—resources available

Solitude

Silence (Quiet zones)

  • ‘Silent zones’ are provided for those who wish to engage in the discipline of silence. These zones include your rooms, and the chapel (when not in use for prayer or the sessions). Please respect these zones, and respect those who wish to engage in silence. If you wish to be silent for the whole weekend, or a day, please let us know so that we can be respectful of your space.
  • The purpose of intentional silence is:
    • To learn to see and hear.
    • To help us listen (to God and those around us) and to not speak.

      “One of the fruits of silence is the freedom to let God be our justifier. We don’t need to straighten others out…Perhaps more than anything else, silence brings us to believe that God can care for us—reputation and all.”

Service to each other (mealtimes, confession, encouragement)

  • Confession—being available to those who wish to be relieved of a burden

Fasting

Teaching sessions

Enjoy the area!

Exercise of Relinquishment

  • Practical problems to 30 minutes of silence and reflection
    • Wandering mind
      • Tells us something about our internal clutter and own distractedness
      • Keep a things-to-do pad with you
      • Speak peace to a racing mind and instruct it
      • Ask God if he wants to teach us re: a particular intruding thought
    • Falling asleep
      • We’re probably too tightly wound
      • Learn that fully relaxed and fully alert are compatible
      • Don’t chide or condemn yourself—accept it gratefully
      • Ask God to teach you and minister to you while you sleep
      • Problem will fade away
    • Spiritual influences not of God
      • A good fear—they exist
      • Fear should not paralyze—1 Jn 4:4 (Greater is he…)
    • Where to meditate
      • Every place is sacred—you are a portable sanctuary
      • Some places are better than others however—quiet, beauty, comfortable
      • Certain activities helpful—swimming, jogging, walking, gardening
    • How long to meditate
      • A matter of past experience and internal readiness
      • If we are living frantically—5-10 is a stretch
      • In time up to an hour is useful
      • Better to start small and useful than gorge and get indigestion
    • What posture
      • Easily underestimated in importance
      • Kneeling can call your spirit to attention
      • Hands outstretched or placed palm open nudge our mind into receptivity
  • Read first chapter of book
  • Spend 30 mins in silence before the Lord
  • Practice meditation exercise

Closing Prayer

These two days we have set aside for knowing you. It is all we have to give, the only coin we have to spend: ourselves. We know that when we give ourselves, we are only giving back what is already yours. We come to give that gift anyway. For some of us, it is rare to spend even a single hour, let alone two whole days, with you. But we may already know how to visit with you in the cracks and crevices of other days: overscheduled days, pressured days, workdays. Now we have come to make a new effort, a new surrender to the disciplines of the Spirit.

We have come to make an effort that is both scheduled and unscheduled: an opportunity, an improvisation. We are in search of a fresh start, a new page. Not that we are complete beginners. Maybe we know too much. Maybe we already ‘know all about prayer’, but we forget to put our knowledge to practice. Possibly we can talk a good game of prayer, very sophisticated and impressive, like the young Thomas Merton at cocktail parties at Columbia University. In those days he knew all about being a Christian, but he wasn’t yet living like one. He said he was already dreaming about union with the Lord, but wasn’t even keeping the slightest elements of the moral law.

We know we could get by with looking good to others. But there’s something in us that is a little too honest for that. We don’t want to coast on what we know about the spiritual life.

We want to pray, to meditate, to follow the example of Jesus and in doing so to be renewed in mind and heart. We don’t want to get by on the praying we did last week, last year. We want the immediacy of this moment, this day, this time with you.

Tonight, Lord, here I am. I come to be with you. I’m putting all my fakery and false starts behind me. Teach me the way of your heart, and I will keep them to the end. Set my feet on the path, and I will walk with you. All the rugged way.

Give me the grace to meet with you—in a remote retreat house in South Australia, or in more ordinary places. Be with me in church when the music is bad and the preacher rambling. When I am in the city and the traffic screeches around me, give me the grace to find you in the noise of things.

Give me the grace to see you in the hard times: in weary times, traffic jams, supermarket lines, unemployment lines, physical suffering; when I am wrestling with major life choices, or when nothing in particular is at stake; when the economic squeeze is on; when I feel myself at the end of my rope, give me the grace to find you, even there.

And in the times of my own deep longing: in desolation, emptiness, despair; when trouble piles up; when loneliness is my daily companion; when I’m not feeling well; when I don’t seem to be getting better; when family tensions build up; when I don’t know where to turn or what to depend on; let me know you in the whirlwind, Lord; I need you there.

And if my life has no shape to it, no sense of immediate meaning, if I have no feeling of destiny, no vision of my own work, no sense of being called, give me the grace to wait, to know you will make sense of it; even when I can’t see it, give me the grace to hold on.

Lord, we are here to be your children: children for your sake. We are too old to be children; we have forgotten how. We have lost the knack of playing, of letting our hearts go up like balloons. Remind us, Lord, of how you want us to be. Let our prayers spring up like clover. Let us be free as dandelions, just today.

You have called us to a new childhood, a childhood of the heart. You have asked us not to worry about what we eat and drink, or what we are going to wear today, or how we will get by. You have told us to stop fretting about how to behave or worrying about what is the correct thing to do or to say. Give us the grace to be children in your presence. Teach us to be lilies who don’t have to work at being beautiful. Teach us to be unselfconscious like the birds who depend on you and give glory to you with every rush of wings and every shriek of praise.

And if today we hear your voice speaking in the depths of the heart, never reproaching, always demanding, let us be open to what you ask. Let the wind of grace blow through us. Scatter the dust of our indifference. Make us open to loving you. Make us generous, Lord; give us the courage to be yours, completely.

Help us to follow you at least as far as Jerusalem. We’ll crowd out onto the rooftops. We’ll hang from the trees. We’ll wave our palm fronds and say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.’ And, if it suits you, make us ready to follow you even farther than that.

We know we are weak, Lord. Some of us may know it more than others. We know the way is hard. And we don’t entirely know what you are asking. We know that when our faith is tested, we’re likely to crumple up. We’re afraid, Lord. But we’re holding on. We assume that if you made a saint out of Peter, there must a little hope for us. So, give out the palms, and we’ll walk as far as we can.

Most of all, we ask you to show us the splendour of what you have already given us: life itself, and more than that, life with you.

We ask you to reveal your beauty to us in created things. We ask to see you in things created by women and men. We look for your image breaking through everywhere, not only in stained-glass windows or church altars, but in the vulnerability of others and in the transparency of loving friends.

We ask you to show us and lead us to simplicity of life and simplicity of heart. Lord, help us to know you in the middle of life, to know you in the breaking of bread, in song, in fellowship, and in the cleansing of our hearts by penitence and prayer.

Give us time in the wilderness for the renewing and restoration of our hearts in the way of Jesus Christ.

-adapted from Wilderness Time, by Emilie Griffin

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2008 SVC Spiritual Formation Retreat

July 13, 2008 · Posted in Retreats · Comment 


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