The Road Devotional | Lent 2024

“More things are wrought by prayer; than this world dreams of.” -Alfred Lord Tennyson

Prayer is communication: 
Prayer consists of both listening to God and speaking to God... a conversation. The more we grow in our ability to pray the more our conversation (our listening and speaking to) deepens to listening with and speaking with God.

“In prayer, we need to speak whatever truth is in us: pain and grief, failure and weakness, praise and thanks.... Stop and reflect, are there strong feelings in your life that you are hesitant to express in prayer? Can you identify why you hold them back?” -Marjorie Thompson, Soul Feast

Prayer is communion: 
While communication is doing with God, communion is being with God. It’s when we can be completely open and vulnerable with God in moments that are both joyous and ones that are dark and difficult.

“When I speak of communion, I mean that dimension of relationship that goes beyond words, images, or actions. Communion transcends the particularities of communication. Contemplation is the foremost expression of prayer as communion.... Resting in God, allowing the Spirit to fill and move us as God wills. It is pure receptivity and adoration. It is quiet, tender, playful, and joyous.” -Marjorie Thompson, Soul Feast

“The great thing is prayer, prayer itself. If you want a prayer life, the way to get it is by praying... you start where you are and you deepen what you already have.” -Thomas Merton

Centering Prayer:
Goes beyond words to a rest in God’s presence. Begin with a sacred word that describes God’s eternal being and meditate on this. Sit in a silence that allows you to wait on God, without answers or a need to accomplish anything with this prayer. Listen for God’s voice of stillness.

The Jesus Prayer (A Breath Prayer):
Time this prayer with your regular breathing pattern. Inhale through the nose, and while inhaling, pray; “Lord Jesus Christ” Then, while exhaling, pray; “Have mercy on me (us).” Repeat

The Bidding Prayer (Intercessory Prayer):
A prayer leader invites participants to pray both silent and spoken prayers for named situations or persons. With each new “bid” or invitation, the leader moves the prayers from topic to topic. When finished, the leader provides a closing prayer for the group.

Prayer Partner:
Find someone who can pray with you, for you, and together, keep each other in prayer this season.