prayer path web

8/3/2019 Prayer Path Web

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Prayer

Path


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How to walk the Path

Welcome to the prayer path. We are so glad youve taken some time to

come here, and get away.

This booklet is here to provide a guided time of contemplation. Feel

free to use it, or to simply walk the path on your own, pausing at the

stations to reflect and listen.

The first reflection begins in front of the gate at the entrance to the

path.

As you use this material, allow time in after each question or idea to

pause and consider. Listen for what the Holy Spirit may be saying to

you. There is no hurry here. Take your time. Read and think... slowly.

If you encounter others on the path, may we encourage you to simplysmile and acknowledge them quietly, then carry on with your journey.

This isnt a place of absolute silence, but it is a place of peace, so please

respect others on the path as you walk it yourself.

We hope you encounter Jesus in a deep and meaningful way during

your time here.


3/12

Introduction (at Gate)

Welcome to the inward journey. Here, you will travel in pursuit not of the

inner self but past the self into Christ. It is a journey to the True Centre.

You are embarking on a pursuit that will lead you nearer to the presence of

God. In truth, you are not the pursuer, but the pursued. You are invitedhere to journey into the awareness of the love of God, which is in

relentless pursuit of you.

Let the natural beauty of this environment speak to your spirit. Right now,

stop and acknowledge every sense at your disposal: Sight, Sound, Smell,

Touch... together, these allow a Taste of the presence of God. Be aware of

the meaningbehind everything you encounter and notice, whether thestriking pattern of a leaf, a stone or even a misplaced piece of trash.

Embrace the many ways in which the Holy Spirit might be pursuing you.

With each step you take, you are preparing your heart to be found, and

found again, by the God who pursues. As the psalm reads:

You have searched me, LORD, and You know me. You know when I sitand when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going

out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is

on my tongue You, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and

before, and You lay Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful

for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If

I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You

are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of

the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me

fast. If I say, Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night

around me, even the darkness will not be dark you You; the night will shine

like the day, for darkness is as light to You. --Psalm 139: 1-12 NIV

Selah- Pause, and think of that. When you are ready, wander down thepath to the first station.


4/12

Station I: Sound and Noise

Sound and noise. Listening for the sound of Gods voice is difficult

when all we can hear is the white noise of the world around us.

Stop, and listen. What do you hear? Noise is the clamorous thingthat leaves no room for anything else. It communicates nothing but

drowns out the Voice that speaks everything: truth, love, life, wonder.

Take stock of every kind of noise coming at you right now. Do you

hear a train? The noise of the traffic? Children playing, shouting?

Identify the distractions, and set them aside. Listen for the whisper

of the Creator.

As Elijah discovered:

...a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and

shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not

in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but theLORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake

came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the

fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his

cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the

cave. --1Kings 19:10-12

Have you been looking for God in the noise? Seeking for Him in the

busyness? Has He felt distant or absent? Turn down the inner

volume, and listen for him in the simplicity of uncluttered space.

What is the white noise in your soul? What clamours for your

attention? What could be more important than perceiving the voice

of God... right... now...? Shhhhh.

Selah- Pause, and think of that. When you are ready, wander downthe path to the next station.


5/12

Station II: Travelling Light

Burdens, burdens, burdens. We all carry them. Burdens of

responsibility, burdens of failure and the fear of failure, burdens of

provision, burdens of self preservation, and the burdens we take onfrom those we love. On the journey into Christ, you cant take

anything with you. You will need to leave everything behind. There

is a reason why most images of Jesus show Him with hands held

open. He took nothing with Him.

Think for a moment: Can you identify the weight in your chest? Are

your shoulders slumped under external pressures? If so, identify

them. Name them. Now.... wait and ask, are there more burdens

beneath the surface? What are you holding onto? Whats holding on

to you? Prepare to leave these burdens here when you move from

this place. Are some easier to let go of than others? Are there others

that you dont want to relinquish? Why? Be remindedNOWthat

Jesus Christ is sufficient.

The risen Christ reminds us:

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in

weakness. --2Corinthians 12:9

...Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and Iwill 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.

--Matthew 11:28-30

Let go before you go.

Selah- Pause, and think of that. When you are ready, wander downthe ath to the next station.


6/12

Station III: This is No Hiding

Place

The mark of fallen humanity is that we

hid from God. We put a shield between

our vulnerability and Him. So much of

our energy is daily diverted into keeping

up appearances. We put on our faces

and shape the image others see when

they look at us. Have you built up wallsof vanity to conceal the humble,

shameful creature buried deep within? Or have you dressed up in

beggars clothes to protect the treasure inside from being stolen?

Consider: What costumes and masks do you wear to preserve

yourself?

There can be no hiding place from God. There is a hiding place with

Him. InHim. WithinHim. Name your secrets, your concealments,

and present them to Him as an offering. As you remove each mask

and expose every dark place, allow yourself to become transparent

before God. This is a time for full disclosure to the God who

already knows. For he looks to the ends of the earth, and sees everything

under the heavens. --Job 28:34

In the garden, God allowedus to hide from Him. Did He know

where Adam and Eve were hiding? Of course. But He called for

them and then waited for them to present themselves. Do you hear

Him calling you to step out from your hiding places? Will you?

Selah - Pause, and think of that. When you are ready, wander downthe path to the next station.


7/12

Station IV: Toward Grace and Mercy

You are drawing quite near, now, to the deepest part of the journey.

Before moving forward, take stock. Are you ready to encounterHim? Do you feel prepared? Worthy? Quieted, weightless and fully

transparent? Certainly you dont! All effort and discipline comes to

nothing apart fromgraceand mercy. We engage in the practices of

quieting our souls, releasing our burdens and making ourselves

transparent, not to achieve worthiness but to prepare to encounter

the One who is worthy. Allow these words to wash over you:

Grace

Mercy

Are you unworthy to proceed? Yes. Take a moment and reflect on

what disqualifies you. Name those things, and turn from them,

toward Christ. Remember, you are not the pursuer but the pursued.

Grace

Mercy

Is there any deficiency or brokenness or inadequacy that is not

covered by those two words, if we turn toward Christ?

Paul writes: Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for

ourselves, but our competence comes from God. --2Corinthians 3:5

Grace

Mercy

Clean

Selah- Pause, and think of that. When you are ready, wander down

the path to the next station.


8/12

Station V: Sacred Space

You have now entered the deepest part of the journey. This is

primarily a place of resting, waiting and encountering. This is sacred

space. It is sacred not because of the ground on which you stand,

but because of the purpose that rests in your heart. With hearing

attuned, burdens lifted, masks discarded and heart cleansed, youve

sent up flares to the heavens and are now ready and longing to be

found by the Risen Christ, the Eternal Centre.

The God who pursues longs to make His dwelling place within you.

Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will

build for me? Where will my resting place be? --Isaiah 66:1

Consider this ancient poem. Let this be your prayer. Then simply

wait.

*Ancient celtic oral traditions - carmina gadelica)


God to enfold me,

God to surround me,

God in my speaking,

God in my thinking.

God in my sleeping,

God in my waking,

God in my watching,

God in my hoping.

God in my life,

God on my lips,

God in my soul,

God in my heart.

God in my sufficing,

God in my slumber,

God in mine ever-living soul,

God in mine eternity.*


9/12

Station VI: Re-Direction

Youve now turned the corner, and begun the outwardjourney. An

encounter with Christ is never, ever left behind. It is not confined to oneplace, rather it is interior and lingers with you. Reflect for a moment on

what youve heard and encountered. If you have a journal with you, take a

moment to record whats in your heart.

Now, each step brings you closer to re-engaging your day-to-day world.

Christ alone can orient you as you navigate unexpected obstacles and

encounter enticing paths that threaten to pull you off-course.

With any journey into unfamiliar territory, the most critical piece of gear is

a good compass. As you move from the centre of the path, allow Christ to

become your reference point, your True North.

True North directs us on our way and keeps our paths straight. What

pathways in your day-to- day life need to be re-oriented around Christ as

the point of reference? Allow Him to speak into your life journey and re-

direct your ways.

The future is nothing if not unfamiliar territory. How will Christ be your

True North as you head forward on your outward journey? Hear the words

of Jesus:

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The

gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He

calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has

brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep

follow him because they know his voice. --John 10:2-4



10/12

Station VII: Pursuits

The outwardjourney is about our response to Him through

transformation. Every encounter with Christ brings transformation,

and that transformation affects everything.

What does transformation look like?

What will happen once you move from this time and place of

contemplation and re-engage normal life? What will you pursue

first? Whats thefirstthing youll think about? Whats thefirstthing

youll do? Will you reset to your defaults, or will you allow whatever

you pursue to undergo change and transformation?

The true pursuits of our hearts are mirrored in those things we invest

our time and energy on. What would it mean for your pursuits

(dreams, visions, ambitions and desires) to be transformed by Christ,

to be held in orbit around Him? What would decision-making looklike?

Consider: Seek first His

kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be

given to you as well .

--Matthew 6:33

Is the Holy Spirit speaking through these words? Into these words?Seek first... what?



11/12

Station VIII: Radiation

Vocation is whatever you do that radiates who you are. As Christ

lingers in the interior places of your life, allow the actions and

activities of your life to radiate... Him. This is the transformation ofyour inner self acting to transform the world outside you. Love God,

and then the radiation of that love will become the substance of love

toward others. (See Luke 10:27; cf. Mark 12:31-32; Matthew 22:36-40;

John 13:34-35.)

We tend to define ourselves by what we do. This leads to discontent

and striving and ultimately exhaustion. However, the call into

vocation (literally defined as call) re-orders that. Who we are

defines what we do. Living out your vocation is life-giving,

transformative, and purposeful.

Have you tried to define yourself by your actions? By your job? By

your bank account statements? That is the world acting on you... theworld radiating inward. The Christ-centered life calls you to act on

the world, from the inside out.

When Jesus acted on the world, He modelled something for us. He

so radiated God that everything He did became a reflection of that

relationship.

Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he

sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

--John 5:19

How does the Risen Christ intend to radiate through you? Ask Him.

Wait and listen.

Selah- Pause, and think of that. When you are ready, wander downthe ath to the next station.


12/12

Station IX: Rhythm

You have come to the final station on this journey. What have you

encountered? What have you heard from the Voice that speaks life? How

have you responded? Store up and treasure these things in your heart asyou move from here, back into the regular rhythms of life!

Take a moment and do nothing but breathe purposefully. Measure each

breath. Breathe in. Breathe out.

Be aware of your heart beating. Steadily, and without conscious thought,

these rhythmic patterns sustain your life. Youve just experienced a rhythmof engagement with God that can be encountered daily, hourly, moment by

moment. These are the sustaining rhythmic patterns of grace and

encounter with Christ.

Yield Encounter Respond

As you move from this place, allow the moments of yielding, encounter,

and response to bleed over in fullness of your lived life: In your speaking,

in your seeing, in your loving, in your doing.

Go with the words of this blessing echoing in your heart:

*Blessing from the Northumbria Community daily hours morning prayer

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Selah- To exit the path, leave to your right. To re-walk the path, exit the

station to the left.

May the peace of the Lord Christ go

with you, wherever He may send you.

May He guide you through the

wilderness, protect you through the

storm.

May He bring you home rejoicing

at the wonders He has shown you.

May He bring you home rejoicing

once again into our doors.*

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