Prayer ~ Finding the Heart's True Home--Week 1

Prayer
Finding the Heart’s True Home
by Richard Foster

Week 1

Three sections of the book:
  • Moving Inward: Seeking the Transformation we need.
  • Moving Upward: See the Intimacy we need.
  • Moving Outward: Seeking the Ministry we need.


What is your experience with prayer?


When you pray, who is prayer about?


When do you pray?


Where do you pray?


Why do you pray?


How do you interact with God—how do you approach Him?


What emotions pop up (be honest!) when you think about prayer?


———————————
“Today the heart of God is like an open wound of love.”  Richard Foster

In this course we will not study about prayer, but rather our goal is to enter the heart of God, and meet Him in ours.  We will seek to experience prayer—the relationship between us and our Father.

Samuel Coleridge said,  “He prayeth well, who liveth well.”  

Prayer is the Key to God’s heart, and Jesus is the Door.

(As you read this Psalm, think about how this might relate to your own life at times.)
Psalm 42  (The Message)

1-3 A white-tailed deer drinks
    from the creek;
I want to drink God,
    deep draughts of God.
I’m thirsty for God-alive.
I wonder, “Will I ever make it—
    arrive and drink in God’s presence?”
I’m on a diet of tears—
    tears for breakfast, tears for supper.
All day long
    people knock at my door,
Pestering,
    “Where is this God of yours?”
4 
These are the things I go over and over,
    emptying out the pockets of my life.
I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd,
    right out in front,
Leading them all,
    eager to arrive and worship,
Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving—
    celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!
5 
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He’s my God.
6-8 
When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse
    everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights,
    including Mount Mizar.
Chaos calls to chaos,
    to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers
    crash and crush me.
Then God promises to love me all day,
    sing songs all through the night!
    My life is God’s prayer.
9-10 
Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God,
    “Why did you let me down?
Why am I walking around in tears,
    harassed by enemies?”
They’re out for the kill, these
    tormentors with their obscenities,
Taunting day after day,
    “Where is this God of yours?”
11 
Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
    Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
    soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
    He’s my God.

———————
For next week—

Get the book.  Read through the end of Chapter 1.

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