Lately I’ve been sharing game-changing tips about how to use your imagination to jump-start your faith. An imagination captured by God’s revelation is a powerful tool. Let’s apply it now to picturing prayer.
Picturing prayer
What’s your picture of prayer? In other words, how do you think prayer works?
To get to the bottom of this, what metaphors do you use to describe it? For example, when I hear people say, “I feel like my prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling,” I know something about their picture of prayer. They see it something like hucking jell-o into the air, hoping it gets through. Some people think of prayer like tweeting. Or Facebook status updates for God’s eyes only. Others picture themselves coming into the throne room of God, flanked by angels, rainbows, thunder, and lightning.
We already learned that when we pray, Jesus wants us to picture ourselves coming to our Father, our daddy. “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”
But how does it work, exactly? I want to share two images, one today and one tomorrow, that will empower you as you are picturing prayer. Today’s image flows from what Jesus said next: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
So we have a picture of prayer developing, drawn in the simplest of terms: Earth is here, heaven is there.
Prayer, Jesus says, is asking God to take what’s already established there (in heaven) and manifest it here (on earth).
So I can’t just ask for a Lamborghini and expect God to give it to me. Prayer is asking God to manifest a bit of heaven on earth. If it’s not established there, how can I expect it to make an appearance here? Specifically, prayer is establishing God’s kingdom here like it’s already established there. God is absolutely thrilled to say yes to things we ask him that he’s been dying to send our way.
“Help me love on my neighbour Mary.” Done.
Does this resonate with you? Clear things up? I want to hear from you!