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My 40 Day Journey Intentionally Seeking God
WEEK 2
February 25 – March 2
PRAYER as a Spiritual Practice
Prayer is a fundamental way for believers to communicate with God. It is a time of connection, reflection, and seeking guidance from the divine. There are different types of prayer that Christians engage in to approach God in various ways and for different purposes.
Practicing some of these various types of prayer during Lent can enhance one’s spiritual journey. It can also deepen one’s relationship with God and their neighbor by fostering intimacy with God, cultivating compassion and empathy for others, and aligning one’s hearts with God's purposes.
Some of the different types of prayer include, but are not limited to…
Praise Adoration
Lamentation Thanksgiving and gratitude
Supplication Confession/forgiveness
Intercession Oblation
Each type of prayer has its significance and benefits.
A different type of prayer will be highlighted each day this week. A description of the prayer type, along with an example from Scripture will be provided. Begin by finding a quiet place to reflect. Take several slow breaths in and out. Read the brief passage for the day, along with the reflection/journaling prompts. Close your eyes and hold the reflection question before you and before God. Open your heart and mind to God’s Spirit moving in you. Record your thoughts in your journal.
SUNDAY
Prayers of Adoration
"I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable" Psalm 145:1
We begin practicing various types of prayer with the prayer of adoration. To adore someone means to show a deep love and respect for that person. The prayer of adoration is the act of praising and honoring God for who He is. It's a prayer that expresses gratitude and awe for God’s greatness and majesty.
Some practice adoration prayers by repeating back to God His attributes, acknowledging His worthiness, and praising Him for Who He is and all He has done. Because Scripture provides our basis for knowing who God is, adoration prayers can be full of Scripture.
An example of an adoration prayer in the Bible is found in Psalm 145. The psalmist begins by declaring his praise for God's greatness and mercy and continues with the psalmist praising God for His goodness, compassion, and faithfulness.
Prayers of adoration enable us to focus on God's character and shifts our thoughts from ourselves to Him. When we are able to acknowledge God’s greatness, power, love and care…then opening our hearts to offer our hurts, disappointments, needs and hopes becomes natural.
Some examples of adoration prayers found in Scripture include: Psalm 8, Psalm 18, Psalm 29, Psalm 145:14-16, Nehemiah 9:5-38, Job 42:2-3, 5
Journal Exercise:
“The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
Psalm 145:14-16
MONDAY
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Gratitude
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name."
Psalm 100:4
Prayers of thanksgiving are a type of prayer that expresses thankfulness to God for His blessings and provision in our lives. We can give thanks for our family and friends, the health we enjoy, the opportunities we have been given, for the beauty of nature and the peace and joy that comes in living in harmony with God.
Giving thanks and expressing our gratitude in prayer is a powerful tool that helps us shift our focus from our problems to God's goodness, mercy, and love. When we thank the Lord for what He has done, our hearts are automatically filled with joy and peace, and our faith is strengthened.
We see countless examples of thanksgiving prayers in the Bible. For example, the verse from Psalm100:4 above, reminds us to come to God with a heart of gratitude, recognizing His greatness and love for us. When we give thanks to God, we are not only showing our appreciation but also acknowledging His sovereignty and faithfulness.
Whether it's for answered prayers, spiritual blessings, relational blessings, or material blessings, there’s always something to be thankful for and thus, something to share with God in prayer.
Journaling Exercise:
TUESDAY
Prayers of Lamentation
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Lamentation is a powerful, and meaningful, form of prayer because it places our love for God above even the worst of circumstances in our life. God does not ask us to deny the existence of our brokenness and suffering in our lives. Prayers of lament allow us to express our grief, pain and concerns before God…but while they may look like prayers of complaining, they can still be prayers of faith…because this type of prayer refuses to let God go even in the hard times. God may seem absent, but He is not. Prayers of lament are honest before God and bring us face to face with Him as we try to understand what is going on in our heart.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (above) is a well-known example of a prayer of lament. Habakkuk was living in difficult circumstances but through a prayer of lament, he was brought to a place of peace. In chapter one his prayer was prayed in frustration; he was asking God “how long” and “why” regarding his circumstances. He was not denying the existence of pain. He was bringing it before God.
“Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted”
Habakkuk 1:3-4
Through Habakkuk’s prayer of lament, God changed his heart. He didn’t immediately change his situation. God had directed his attention to His long-range plans and not the present circumstances he was facing. He told Habakkuk to wait and to live by faith. By the last chapter he prayed:
“LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.
Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy”
Habakkuk 3:2
Though his circumstances were difficult, God met Habakkuk in his prayer and changed him on the inside. Habakkuk began to see from a new perspective. He began to put his faith in God’s eternal hope, and his prayer of lament was a form of worship to God. In lamenting, we actually worship God with our sorrow, just as Habakkuk did in 3:17-18 (above).
Journaling Exercise:
WEDNESDAY
Prayers of Confession and Repentance
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Romans 8:1
Prayers of confession and repentance are a crucial type of prayer that requires us to acknowledge our sins* and ask for God's forgiveness. They are an important step towards reconciliation with God and the restoration of our spiritual lives. Repentance demands a genuine admission of wrongdoing, a longing to turn away from sin, and a commitment to live in obedience to God's will.
One example of the a prayer of confession and repentance is found in Psalm 51. This is the scripture where King David decided to pray for forgiveness after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed her husband. In his prayer, David acknowledged his sins and pleaded for God's mercy and forgiveness. He recognized that his sins were not only against Bathsheba and Uriah but also against God, who alone had the power to forgive him. David's prayer of repentance is a powerful illustration of how we can approach God in humility and seek His forgiveness.
God responds to our prayers of confession and repentance with mercy, forgiving us and healing us so that be can be restored to right relationship with Him and with others.
* sin is anything we say, do or think that goes against what God wants
Journaling Exercise:
THURSDAY
Prayers of Supplication
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
Prayers of supplication (also known as prayers of petition) are a powerful form of prayer that involves making earnest requests and petitions to God. Supplication goes beyond a mere recitation of desires and taps into a place of vulnerability, humility, and faith. It acknowledges our dependence on God and invites His intervention in our lives.
Supplication holds great significance in our faith journey. It is an expression of trust in God’s love, power, and divine providence. Through supplication, we acknowledge our limitations and understand that our strength alone is inadequate. It is a surrender to God’s will and an invitation for Him to work in and through us.
Furthermore, supplication is a way for us to cultivate a deeper relationship with God. When we come before Him in prayer, we open ourselves up to His presence and guidance. It is through supplication that we can experience His peace, comfort, and wisdom in our lives. By regularly engaging in supplication, we invite God to be an active participant in our journey of faith.
Finally, it is crucial to maintain a posture of humility and surrender during supplication. Recognizing our dependence on God and acknowledging His sovereignty helps us approach Him with reverence and awe. This attitude of humility allows us to submit our desires and requests to His perfect will, trusting that He knows what is best for us.
Journaling Exercise:
FRIDAY
Prayers of Intercession
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. 1 Timothy 2:1
Intercession is the act of praying on behalf of others. It involves lifting up the needs, concerns, and struggles of other people to God. This kind of prayer is powerful because it requires putting the needs of others before our own and seeking God's help and intervention on their behalf.
Intercessory prayer involves a sense of cooperation with God. It is not a petition to change God’s mind or to get God to focus on an unknown problem. As Saint Augustine stated: ‘Without God, we cannot; without us, God will not.’ God waits for our cooperation before his will is done in many situations. Intercession requires us to have a gracious heart and a desire to see others thrive and succeed.
One example of intercession in the Bible is when Abraham chose to intercede for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Genesis 18:16-33, Abraham pleads with God to spare the cities from ruin, asking Him to save the righteous and spare the wicked. Despite the fact that there were very few righteous people in those cities, God obliged.
Abraham's prayers prove the power of intercession and the importance of praying for others, even when it seems hopeless. Through intercession, you too can be a catalyst for change in the lives of those around you.
Journaling Exercise:
SATURDAY
Prayer of Consecration or Oblation
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2
The prayer of consecration (or oblation) is the type of prayer you pray when you’re ready to dedicate yourself to God's purposes and commit your life to His service. In this prayer, you acknowledge that you are not your own, but that you belong to God, and that you are ready to surrender your will and desires to His will for your life.
This prayer is often associated with significant moments in our spiritual lives, such as baptism or ordination. But it can also be a regular part of our daily prayers as we seek to live a life that is pleasing to God.
An example of the prayer of consecration can be found in Romans 12:1-2. Here Paul urges believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, he also tells them not to conform to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds.
Through this prayer, you can invite God to work in you and through you, to use you for His purposes, and to mold you into the person He created you to be.
Journaling Exercise:
What would it look like to consecrate your daily work (or recreation) to God? What about your daily interactions with others?
Practicing some of these various types of prayer during Lent can enhance one’s spiritual journey. It can also deepen one’s relationship with God and their neighbor by fostering intimacy with God, cultivating compassion and empathy for others, and aligning one’s hearts with God's purposes.
Some of the different types of prayer include, but are not limited to…
Praise Adoration
Lamentation Thanksgiving and gratitude
Supplication Confession/forgiveness
Intercession Oblation
Each type of prayer has its significance and benefits.
A different type of prayer will be highlighted each day this week. A description of the prayer type, along with an example from Scripture will be provided. Begin by finding a quiet place to reflect. Take several slow breaths in and out. Read the brief passage for the day, along with the reflection/journaling prompts. Close your eyes and hold the reflection question before you and before God. Open your heart and mind to God’s Spirit moving in you. Record your thoughts in your journal.
SUNDAY
Prayers of Adoration
"I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable" Psalm 145:1
We begin practicing various types of prayer with the prayer of adoration. To adore someone means to show a deep love and respect for that person. The prayer of adoration is the act of praising and honoring God for who He is. It's a prayer that expresses gratitude and awe for God’s greatness and majesty.
Some practice adoration prayers by repeating back to God His attributes, acknowledging His worthiness, and praising Him for Who He is and all He has done. Because Scripture provides our basis for knowing who God is, adoration prayers can be full of Scripture.
An example of an adoration prayer in the Bible is found in Psalm 145. The psalmist begins by declaring his praise for God's greatness and mercy and continues with the psalmist praising God for His goodness, compassion, and faithfulness.
Prayers of adoration enable us to focus on God's character and shifts our thoughts from ourselves to Him. When we are able to acknowledge God’s greatness, power, love and care…then opening our hearts to offer our hurts, disappointments, needs and hopes becomes natural.
Some examples of adoration prayers found in Scripture include: Psalm 8, Psalm 18, Psalm 29, Psalm 145:14-16, Nehemiah 9:5-38, Job 42:2-3, 5
Journal Exercise:
- Try writing your own prayer of adoration to God.
- If this seems too difficult, try reflecting on the following verses from psalm 145, then apply them to your own life by paraphrasing them to make them more personal.
“The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
Psalm 145:14-16
MONDAY
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Gratitude
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name."
Psalm 100:4
Prayers of thanksgiving are a type of prayer that expresses thankfulness to God for His blessings and provision in our lives. We can give thanks for our family and friends, the health we enjoy, the opportunities we have been given, for the beauty of nature and the peace and joy that comes in living in harmony with God.
Giving thanks and expressing our gratitude in prayer is a powerful tool that helps us shift our focus from our problems to God's goodness, mercy, and love. When we thank the Lord for what He has done, our hearts are automatically filled with joy and peace, and our faith is strengthened.
We see countless examples of thanksgiving prayers in the Bible. For example, the verse from Psalm100:4 above, reminds us to come to God with a heart of gratitude, recognizing His greatness and love for us. When we give thanks to God, we are not only showing our appreciation but also acknowledging His sovereignty and faithfulness.
Whether it's for answered prayers, spiritual blessings, relational blessings, or material blessings, there’s always something to be thankful for and thus, something to share with God in prayer.
Journaling Exercise:
- Look out your window. What do you see outside that you are grateful to see or to have? Thank God for the amazing world He created
- Take a look around you. What are the most basic, everyday things you don’t think about? It could be a chair, clean water, or clothing. Write why you are thankful God blessed you with those necessities and how God provides in small ways in your life.
- Think back to the time when you were in need. Reflect on how God provided for your needs. Write a prayer praising God for His provision.
- Recall one of your happiest experiences from your childhood. Why are you grateful for it? Praise God for the good times and fond memories in your life.
- Remember a time when God’s presence was near and you experienced Him in a fresh way. Reflect on how His presence impacted your life and what it meant to you
TUESDAY
Prayers of Lamentation
"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Lamentation is a powerful, and meaningful, form of prayer because it places our love for God above even the worst of circumstances in our life. God does not ask us to deny the existence of our brokenness and suffering in our lives. Prayers of lament allow us to express our grief, pain and concerns before God…but while they may look like prayers of complaining, they can still be prayers of faith…because this type of prayer refuses to let God go even in the hard times. God may seem absent, but He is not. Prayers of lament are honest before God and bring us face to face with Him as we try to understand what is going on in our heart.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (above) is a well-known example of a prayer of lament. Habakkuk was living in difficult circumstances but through a prayer of lament, he was brought to a place of peace. In chapter one his prayer was prayed in frustration; he was asking God “how long” and “why” regarding his circumstances. He was not denying the existence of pain. He was bringing it before God.
“Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted”
Habakkuk 1:3-4
Through Habakkuk’s prayer of lament, God changed his heart. He didn’t immediately change his situation. God had directed his attention to His long-range plans and not the present circumstances he was facing. He told Habakkuk to wait and to live by faith. By the last chapter he prayed:
“LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.
Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy”
Habakkuk 3:2
Though his circumstances were difficult, God met Habakkuk in his prayer and changed him on the inside. Habakkuk began to see from a new perspective. He began to put his faith in God’s eternal hope, and his prayer of lament was a form of worship to God. In lamenting, we actually worship God with our sorrow, just as Habakkuk did in 3:17-18 (above).
Journaling Exercise:
- Try writing your own prayer of lament using the words, “though” and “yet” to begin to phrase your lament. Then offer your written lament to God, either silently or aloud. Give yourself several more moments in silence as your soul listens for God to respond.
- Do this when you are facing difficulty. Use this exercise in prayer for the hard moments in your life.
WEDNESDAY
Prayers of Confession and Repentance
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
Romans 8:1
Prayers of confession and repentance are a crucial type of prayer that requires us to acknowledge our sins* and ask for God's forgiveness. They are an important step towards reconciliation with God and the restoration of our spiritual lives. Repentance demands a genuine admission of wrongdoing, a longing to turn away from sin, and a commitment to live in obedience to God's will.
One example of the a prayer of confession and repentance is found in Psalm 51. This is the scripture where King David decided to pray for forgiveness after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed her husband. In his prayer, David acknowledged his sins and pleaded for God's mercy and forgiveness. He recognized that his sins were not only against Bathsheba and Uriah but also against God, who alone had the power to forgive him. David's prayer of repentance is a powerful illustration of how we can approach God in humility and seek His forgiveness.
God responds to our prayers of confession and repentance with mercy, forgiving us and healing us so that be can be restored to right relationship with Him and with others.
* sin is anything we say, do or think that goes against what God wants
Journaling Exercise:
- Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas of sin in your life—any thought, any deed, any way you’ve ignored doing what God wanted you to do. As the Spirit brings areas of sin to mind, write them down. Don’t rush this. Allow God to speak to you, about you.
THURSDAY
Prayers of Supplication
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
Prayers of supplication (also known as prayers of petition) are a powerful form of prayer that involves making earnest requests and petitions to God. Supplication goes beyond a mere recitation of desires and taps into a place of vulnerability, humility, and faith. It acknowledges our dependence on God and invites His intervention in our lives.
Supplication holds great significance in our faith journey. It is an expression of trust in God’s love, power, and divine providence. Through supplication, we acknowledge our limitations and understand that our strength alone is inadequate. It is a surrender to God’s will and an invitation for Him to work in and through us.
Furthermore, supplication is a way for us to cultivate a deeper relationship with God. When we come before Him in prayer, we open ourselves up to His presence and guidance. It is through supplication that we can experience His peace, comfort, and wisdom in our lives. By regularly engaging in supplication, we invite God to be an active participant in our journey of faith.
Finally, it is crucial to maintain a posture of humility and surrender during supplication. Recognizing our dependence on God and acknowledging His sovereignty helps us approach Him with reverence and awe. This attitude of humility allows us to submit our desires and requests to His perfect will, trusting that He knows what is best for us.
Journaling Exercise:
- Take time to prepare your heart through quiet reflection and confession.
- Next, present your specific requests to God
- Finally, conclude with thanksgiving and praise for what He has already done and will continue to do in your life
FRIDAY
Prayers of Intercession
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. 1 Timothy 2:1
Intercession is the act of praying on behalf of others. It involves lifting up the needs, concerns, and struggles of other people to God. This kind of prayer is powerful because it requires putting the needs of others before our own and seeking God's help and intervention on their behalf.
Intercessory prayer involves a sense of cooperation with God. It is not a petition to change God’s mind or to get God to focus on an unknown problem. As Saint Augustine stated: ‘Without God, we cannot; without us, God will not.’ God waits for our cooperation before his will is done in many situations. Intercession requires us to have a gracious heart and a desire to see others thrive and succeed.
One example of intercession in the Bible is when Abraham chose to intercede for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Genesis 18:16-33, Abraham pleads with God to spare the cities from ruin, asking Him to save the righteous and spare the wicked. Despite the fact that there were very few righteous people in those cities, God obliged.
Abraham's prayers prove the power of intercession and the importance of praying for others, even when it seems hopeless. Through intercession, you too can be a catalyst for change in the lives of those around you.
Journaling Exercise:
- Try to imagine the person or persons you are praying for
- Let the Holy Spirit give you a mental picture of the situation so that you are guided in your prayers
- Have an expectancy that God knows the situation and that he will answer your prayers
- Thank God for receiving your prayer on behalf of another
SATURDAY
Prayer of Consecration or Oblation
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2
The prayer of consecration (or oblation) is the type of prayer you pray when you’re ready to dedicate yourself to God's purposes and commit your life to His service. In this prayer, you acknowledge that you are not your own, but that you belong to God, and that you are ready to surrender your will and desires to His will for your life.
This prayer is often associated with significant moments in our spiritual lives, such as baptism or ordination. But it can also be a regular part of our daily prayers as we seek to live a life that is pleasing to God.
An example of the prayer of consecration can be found in Romans 12:1-2. Here Paul urges believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, he also tells them not to conform to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds.
Through this prayer, you can invite God to work in you and through you, to use you for His purposes, and to mold you into the person He created you to be.
Journaling Exercise:
What would it look like to consecrate your daily work (or recreation) to God? What about your daily interactions with others?
- Take a few moments of quiet reflection. Imagine a typical day, what are you doing? Who are the people you encounter? What are the frustrations and blessings that flow in and our of the day? Now reimagine the same day, but start with offering a prayer to God consecrating the day to Him.
- Write your own prayer of consecration.
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The Bishop’s News & Notes
- A link to the website for The Rt. Reverent Dabney Tyler Smith was elected bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of Southwest Florida on Dec. 9, 2005. He was ordained and consecrated as a bishop on March 10, 2007 at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle in St. Petersburg, FL.
- The Rt. Reverent Dabney Tyler Smith: Diocesan Bishop
Resources for Episcopalians
- The Book of Common Prayer formated
- Additional Books of Common Prayer. Presented are several dozen Books of Common Prayer, and related works, from all over the Anglican Communion.
- The Bible - Accessed through the Oremus Bible Browser featuring an electronic version of the NRSV, New Revised Stand Version Anglicized Edition of the Bible.
Additional Resources
- Episcopal Relief & Development
- Anglicans Online Resources
- The Presidential Prayer Team For Those Who Serve in Government
- MilitaryTimes.com Honor the Fallen
Quick Links
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P.O. Box 272, Boca Grande, FL 33921 Phone: 941-964-2257 Physical Address: DO NOT SEND MAIL TO THIS ADDRESS 390 Gilchrist Avenue Boca Grande, FL 33921 Sunday Worship Schedule
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