Pray authentically

Example of our scripted communal prayers:

Prelude to Prayer:

…if Jesus says follow me it must mean he’s guiding the way so maybe we can stop feeling like we need to… Since he says we should follow him, does it not mean that he’s right in the front, that he’s always going before us, that he’s always in pole position, and we get to spiritually just draft off him. That’s the rest and the help we need. It’s found in the spiritual slip stream of following Jesus – the one who says come to me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest. The one who never tires of being our help in times of trouble. The one in whom we can rest and just try less hard for once.
~ Nadia Bolz Weber, “Drafting Off Jesus”

Prayer Focus: Matthew 11:25-30

  • At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
  • “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
  • Our Father, You are the place that I know I need more often to go. You are my place of amazing comfort and rest. Thank You for being here.
  • I notice this is simpler than I make it. This is child’s play in the very best sense. This is unself-conscious acceptance of what is.
  • Help me get out of what I mistake for wisdom that is really just fancy fear, and pride dressed up as intellect. Help me, as Your child, respond to You with the freedom to trust and hope, to discover and delight.
  • Jesus, I notice you are God in a physical body like mine. You understand sore knees, adrenaline, cortisol, and a broken heart. Thank You for getting it, for getting me, inside and out.
  • You know how this body works as both Maker and User, and you offer rest. Don’t let me miss that. This body needs rest, and so does the soul attached to it. Show me what that means.
  • I know what weary means. Worrying makes me tired. Conflict is exhausting. Effort without seeing results saps my energy. Illness is draining. Something making me weary right now is…
  • Give rest to friends weary with illness. Give soul rest to Lisa & Jon, to Dave, to Linda & Tom, to Ken, to Kristi & Jeanne, to…
  • I know what burdened means. I feel the heaviness of despair. I feel the weight of responsibility.
  • I feel the pressure of guilt. Something dense and leaden hunkering in my heart right now is…
  • I confess rest is more of a mystery to me. But what if I took You at Your Word? What if I found rest in the completion and perfection of Jesus who said It is finished?
  • What if I could lay down the lie that I’m the one who has to hold everything up? What if I could believe my worry is not a solution or protection for anyone? What would be left?
  • You. You would be left. Peace would be left. Hope would be left. Joy would be left. Lord, fuel my faith in that Your rest is real.
  • I’m not withdrawing. I know there is work to do and a race to run. I know there is pressing to get on with. Be my motivation. Inspire me so I can do the work You’ve given me with gentleness and humility. Help me draft off of Jesus. Put me in his slipstream.
  • How does doing my work with gentleness feel? Can I be gentle with myself as well as others as I set to it?
  • How does doing my work with humility feel? Maybe I take on less stress about the outcomes I begin to see I don’t guarantee. Maybe I leave the fruit to You.
  • Help with gentleness and humility this week in my work with…
  • Let our next song be my RSVP to Jesus’ invitation:
  • Jesus, you are all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all. Take the pole position. Fill my vision. Be the path I follow and how I see it.
  • You are my strength from day to day, without You I would fall. Recall me hour by hour to the strength ready here and now, for me to use.
  • When I am sad, to You I go. No other one can cheer me so. Hear my mourning and turn my grief to gratitude and praise, not through my will and effort, but Your comfort and consolation.
  • When I am sad, make me glad. You are my father, king, and friend.
  • Give these things because I ask in the name of the one whose yoke is easy, whose burden is light: Jesus