Teach Me To Abide

I have a friend who has inspired me to pray. For several years now she has gotten up very early in the morning to spend time with God. I actually don't know a lot about her prayer time, but one thing I do know is she begins each morning by asking God to "teach her to abide in Christ." I love this because I think it sets the right posture for prayer and that is to be teachable and open.

Lord TEACH me to abide in you…I’ve been doing this for years, but I still have so much to learn…teach me to rest in your loving arms.

That is basically what prayer is: opening ourselves up to the love and abiding presence of God. It can be, but isn't always, approaching God with a lot of words, an agenda, or trying to get God to do something we think is important. Richard Rohr in his book Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer says:

Prayer is not primarily saying words or thinking thoughts. It is rather, a stance. It's a way of living in the Presence, in the awareness of the Presence, and even enjoying the Presence.

If you are a parent, have you noticed that when your kids are young they can't get enough of you? This is how we need to be with God. We need to come to God like a little child. Every time the disciples start arguing over who is going to be the greatest in the Kingdom, or the subject of greatness comes up, Jesus put a little child in front of them and said, "If you want to be great in my Father's Kingdom, be like this little child." For the most part children are open and eager to learn. All they want to do is be with their parents.

learning to pray: Read Matthew 11:28-30. Do you need divine rest? Are you aware of your need for God? Have you come to an end of yourself? Jesus has promised to be there for you, all you need to do is humble yourself like a child, and return to him again, and again, and again all throughout the day. He WILL give you rest.