The thought, that meditation is prayer, started from something I heard Zac Poonen share, (from my memory Zac said),
“Jesus prayed all night. So, do you think that meant that Jesus was talking all night? No, I think Jesus was listening more than He was talking. Jesus wanted to know the Father’s will, so He was listening.
Luke 6:12-16 - Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles"One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles."
Prayer is a conversation, it is both speaking and listening. Do you take time to listen when you pray? Or are you just talking? If you turn to Genesis 1, it says, On the first day, God spoke, and on Day 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, God spoke. All the way to Revelation 1:10 "I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet saying." God is always speaking, am I listening.”
This sparked my thinking:
Thought 2:
All the sudden the Scripture, “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; began to make more sense.
All the sudden the Scripture, “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; began to make more sense.
Thought 3:
Especially when you put it with the
exhortation to keep His commandments.
From the Journey to the Heart book –
page 50.
Meditation and Your “Normal Life”
Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
The word keep in this verse means “to guard.”
It has the idea of keeping something right in front of your face, of watching it intently, and never losing sight of it.
Thought 4:
God’s Word, is HIS Word to us, it is HIM speaking to us.
Conclusion:
So, if prayer is listening and speaking. Listening to what God has to say, … and HIS Word is what He is saying, … then keeping or meditation is a form of praying. And if I keep my thoughts on HIS Word, I can pray without ceasing.
Part of pray is listening.
Lord, help me to listen, for You are speaking. As your sheep, I hear Your voice.
Meditation and Your “Normal Life”
Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
The word keep in this verse means “to guard.”
It has the idea of keeping something right in front of your face, of watching it intently, and never losing sight of it.
Thought 4:
God’s Word, is HIS Word to us, it is HIM speaking to us.
Conclusion:
So, if prayer is listening and speaking. Listening to what God has to say, … and HIS Word is what He is saying, … then keeping or meditation is a form of praying. And if I keep my thoughts on HIS Word, I can pray without ceasing.
Part of pray is listening.
Lord, help me to listen, for You are speaking. As your sheep, I hear Your voice.
It is a journey a process, but an encouraging
thought.
Also:
Thus written prayers that are from HIS Word, although speaking them, is praying back for my ears to hear, and to meditate on what HE has said.
Thus written prayers that are from HIS Word, although speaking them, is praying back for my ears to hear, and to meditate on what HE has said.
Further meditation:
ReplyDeleteWhen you seek God in prayer for direction, how long do you expect it to take? If I am listening and He is speaking shouldn't it be instant?
If the Son of Man, is asking His Father about disciples, how long would that take to give Jesus the names.
Wait, would He even need to pray, couldn't the Father just show Him, as He is picking each one?
Yet, it says, Jesus prayed all night.
Lord, teach me to be more patient and enjoy the fellowship. Not just come for answers.