Teach Us to Pray

Teach Us to Pray (Lightened by the Light - Week 4)

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Below is a prayer from the UMC Discipleship Ministry page:

A Prayer Based on Micah 6:8

A 21st Century Worship Resource for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year A

by Carolyn W. Dandridge, Discipleship Ministries

Give us, o Lord, an eye for injustice.
For it is only when are able to recognize injustice and feel its awful sting that we will be moved to make things right.

Give us, o Lord, a tender heart.
Sometimes we are too hard-hearted to recognize when we have been uncaring, unfeeling, or unkind.

Grant us, o Lord the ability to view life from the dust.
All our lives we have been taught to make others proud, to be proud of ourselves, to hold our heads high -- all the while missing the virtues of being poor in spirit.

Teach us dear Lord, to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Amen.

Teach Us to Pray (Coming Home - Week 4)

As we begin a week focused on peace, Saint Francis' prayer for peace is a great way to begin:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy. 

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive, 
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Teach Us To Pray (Coming Home - Week 3)

This week's "Teach Us To Pray" draws from our Advent Devotional Guide (found here):

"Today read again John 1:6-8. Make a list together of the things that bring light to our lives and make us joyful. Paint or draw a picture of something that makes you joyful."

John 1:6-8:
There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (NIV)

Teach Us to Pray (Advent Week 2)

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Spend a moment or two praying through our Psalm for the week today. Stop and ruminate on phrases that ignite your spiritual curiosity, and pray for the union of righteousness and peace.

Psalm 85, verses 1-2 and 7-13.  

Lord, you’ve been kind to your land;
    you’ve changed Jacob’s circumstances for the better.
You’ve forgiven your people’s wrongdoing;
    you’ve covered all their sins. 
Show us your faithful love, Lord!
    Give us your salvation!
Let me hear what the Lord God says,
    because he speaks peace to his people and to his faithful ones.
    Don’t let them return to foolish ways.
God’s salvation is very close to those who honor him
    so that his glory can live in our land.
Faithful love and truth have met;
    righteousness and peace have kissed.
Truth springs up from the ground;
    righteousness gazes down from heaven.
Yes, the Lord gives what is good,
    and our land yields its produce.
Righteousness walks before God,
    making a road for his steps.

Teach Us to Pray (Phil. 4:4-7)

Anxiety might be the word to describe our current culture. From a back and forth political scene nationally to an uncertain economic climate locally, we all , in some way, feel the chaos anxiety plants, cultivates, and grows in our communal and individual lives. The Apostle Paul is no stranger to anxiety. When he wrote his letter to the Philippian church, he was in jail being railroaded by his political opponents of the day. In the middle of deep chaos, his foot touches bottom and finds there’s something to stand on – joy through the practice of prayer. Regular prayer helps us find a footing in chaotic and anxiety-laced waters. It doesn’t remove the chaos (Paul still remained in prison and eventually died in the prison system), but it does provide an anchor (what Paul calls peace) to hold us more steady while things swirl around us. As you pray today, remember Paul’s words:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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 4:4-7)

About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC

Teach Us to Pray (Releasing God's Best - Self-Control)

When we pray through the fruit of Self-Control, we often end up where Augustine (a pastor in the early church) ended up:

“I had been extremely miserable in adolescence, miserable from its very onset, and as I prayed to you for the gift of chastity I had even pleaded, “Grant me chastity and self-control, but please not yet.” I was afraid that you might hear me immediately and heal me forthwith of the morbid lust which I was more anxious to satisfy than to snuff out.”

While Augustine was pretty up-front with his "…not yet" request, our "not yet"s often remain submerged below the waterline of our consciousness. Understanding what self-control looks like (in our rational minds) and having the desire to enact self-control are different experiences. As you pray today, ask God to shape your desire for the fruit of self-control – ask God to turn your "not yet" into "your kingdom come."

About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC

Teach Us to Pray (Releasing God's Best - Gentleness)

In light of recent tragic events in Texas, and in light of our Scripture this Sunday from Colossians "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace"; let's spend time praying together for peace using this prayer from our brothers and sisters in the UK:

Compassionate God and Father of all,
we are horrified at violence
in so many parts of the world.
It seems that none are safe, and some are terrified.

Hold back the hands that kill and maim;
turn around the hearts that hate.
Grant instead your strong Spirit of Peace - 
peace that passes our understanding
but changes lives, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

Teach Us to Pray (Releasing God’s Best - Faithfulness)

This Sunday in worship, we read the last part of Paul’s discussion about the fruit of the Spirit from The Message translation of the Bible. Here it is below:

“Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.”

Unnecessary comparisons seem to be increasingly amplified in our times (even through casual use of social media and group gatherings), but Paul reminds us that our life in the Spirit is not measured against each other – “Each of us is an original.” Prayer is a wonderful place to begin celebrating your unique and original experience in the life of the Spirit. We often pray for things to change in prayer, but in this instance, the Spirit calls us to embrace what we have in front of us – continuing to unleash the Spirit-powered life offered through God. 

In recovery programs, the “serenity prayer” is often used to jump start this kind of contemplation in our lives. It’s a short prayer that can be used throughout your day to anchor you back to your identity in God. If you haven't yet incorporated this into your prayer habit, give it a try today.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.” 

Teach Us to Pray (Releasing God's Best - Patience)

As you pray today, let patience be the foundation and framework of that prayer. Almost 1700 years ago, a Christian named Cyprian talked about how important patience is to the life of faith. Reflect on these words as you build your house of prayer with a patient foundation:

"...It is patience that both commends us to God, and saves us for God. It is that same patience which tempers anger, bridles the tongue, governs the mind, guards peace, rules discipline, breaks the onslaught of lust, suppresses the violence of pride, extinguishes the fire of dissension, restrains the power of the wealthy, renews the endurance of the poor in bearing their lot, guards the blessed integrity of virgins, the difficult chastity of widows, and the indivisible love of husbands and wives. It makes men humble in prosperity, brave in adversity, meek in the face of injuries and insults. It teaches us to pardon our offenders quickly; if you yourself should offend, it teaches you to ask pardon often and with perseverance. It vanquishes temptations, sustains persecutions, endures sufferings and martyrdoms to the end. It is this patience which strongly fortifies the foundations of our faith. It is this patience which sublimely promotes the growth of hope. It directs our action, so that we can keep to the way of Christ while we make progress because of his forbearance. It ensures our perseverance as sons of God while we imitate the patience of the Father.”
St. Cyprian of Carthage – “The Good of Patience”

About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC

Teach Us to Pray (Galatians 5:25)

"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

One way to keep step with the Spirit is to get into a prayer rhythm. Last Wednesday, Carroll Bross mentioned an app she uses to help her stop and take short moments during the day to pray. If you don't have a practice like that already, the Honor Your Inner Monk app (iOS and Android) is a great way to get started. It's easy to use and fits into even the busiest of schedules.

About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC

Teach Us to Pray (Romans 12.14-21)

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“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” In the Christian tradition, the Prayer of St. Francis is a great starting point when praying for peace that “depends on you.” Use this prayer as a starting point for your times of prayer this week aa you deepen your commitment to “peace with everyone.”

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.