Prayer
Finding the Heart’s True Home
by Richard Foster

Week 12
Part 1— Moving Upward
Chapter 9— The Prayer of Rest



“Rest. Rest. Rest in God’s love. The only work you are required now to do is to give your most intense attention to His still, small voice within.”  Madame Jeanne Guyon

OPENING PRAYER

1.  What does it mean to rest in God?
         The ‘eye of the storm’:
                  Stability and serenity in chaos and confusion
                  Stillness and relaxation in the midst of personal struggle
                  Focused and attentive in the midst of frustration

2.  Matthew 11:28, 29—it’s possible to reach

3.   Sabbath Prayer—Shalom
         Psalm 37
         Hebrews 4:7
         Not law, but a state of Grace—becoming like God
         Laying down the need to be productive—trusting God
         Pray without ceasing= come to rest
         Intense stillness, quiet alertness
        
4.  How do we enter the Prayer of Rest? 
         Knitting story
         Prayer in the Middle Voice—not passive, not active
                  We both act and are acted  upon
                           We participate, but do not cause the action
                  Holy leisure—balance

5.  Activity of the Trinity
         Romans 8:26,27—what a relief!
         The Holy Spirit is praying along with us, straightens out our stumblings
         Jesus intercedes for us as High Priest—Hebrews 7-9
         God is in everlasting communion with himself through our stumbling prayers
                  “When we speak to God,  it is really God who lives in us speaking through us                  to himself…The dialogue of grace is really the monologue of the divine                      nature in self-communing love.”

6.  Recollection
         Solitude and Silence
         Quieting all creaturely activity—a hush of the soul
         Listening to the still, small voice
         Focus, tranquility

Prayer of Recollection (Phil. 3:7-9):  the spiritual discipline of reminding the self of its true identity in Christ (full pardon, full acceptance) and “Christ in me” (that I am not alone).

My Intention: “God, whatever I do today, I want to do it in you.  I don’t want to do this alone, in my own power or as a way to hide and cover.  I don’t want to find my identity in  anything but Christ.  I am in Christ and that is my true identity. (confess any idolatry)
This protects the life from idolatry, false identities and moralism or making decisions from false guilt, shame in life in the power of the self.

        
7.  Cupping the Hands Lightly
         Holding things with an open hand
         Enough freedom to stretch and grow
         Enough protection so that we will not be injured and allowed to be healed.    

Closing Prayer:
Blessed Savior, I am not good at resting in the hollow of your hand.  Nothing in my experience has taught me this resting.  I have been taught how to take charge.  I have been taught how to be in control.  But how to rest?  No, I have no models, no paradigms for resting.
         That is not exactly right. Jesus, when you walked among the Jerusalem crowds and in the Judean hill, you pioneered this way of living.  You were always alert and alive.  You lived utterly responsive to the will of the Father.  Manifold demands were placed upon you, and still you worked in unhurried peace and power.
         Help me to walk in your steps.  Teach me to see only what you see, to say only what you say, to do only what you do.  Help me, Lord, to work resting and to pray resting.
         I ask this in your good and strong name.  –Amen   (Richard Foster)

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