journals – Page 2 – Pursuing Prayer

I get to travel every day. I journal my prayers in a daily notebook. Prayer Journal (click here to get ideas or learn more) Each day has a heading and four sections– one for birthdays or other “memory days”; one for thematic prayers (generalized themes like “family”, “community”, “global concerns”, “culture”, etc.); one for urgent requests, and one for a region of the world–nations, major cities, local communities. On busy days, I send a short prayer and try to remember what I know, or imagine what I’d like to know, about that area. Some days, I have the luxury of time to look up information or history about that area– what is the language, capital city, literacy rate, average age, major religion, geography, economy, etc.

Our world is full of wonder, variety, crisis, and opportunity–I want to add all of this to my pursuit of prayer. It reminds me of several things:

I am not the center of the universe– my issues and problems are not unique or exceptional.
God has placed me here to interact with others–I can’t reach out and connect with 6 billion others, but I can become more aware of their needs and way of life.
The world is a big place–seeing it on the screen via the internet sometimes causes me to forget that. And as I see how big the world is, I also need to remember that God is even bigger!
The world is full of variety. Not everyone lives or thinks or worships as I do. Not everyone faces the same circumstances, the same temptations, the same struggles. Yet God sees and hears each one who calls on him. He doesn’t have trouble understanding languages and dialects– he doesn’t get culture shock. He is not an American Jesus, or a Brazilian Jesus, or a Korean Jesus. He’s not an urban Jesus or a remote mountain village Jesus, or a gated community Jesus. When we enter eternity, we will share it with amazing brothers and sisters from every corner of creation. He’s got the whole world in his hands!

Many millions of people around the globe have never heard the Gospel– or they’ve heard lies and misrepresentations. Millions of other believers are being persecuted for believing in Jesus or for sharing the good news of Salvation in His Name. People in every nation, every community, are suffering.
We are commanded, as Christians, to “go into all the world” and preach the gospel. I may not be able to travel to “all the world”, but I can “go” in prayer, sharing on-line, and learning about needs, as well as in sending out and praying for those who can travel.
I am grateful for the opportunities God has given me– to learn about him and worship him in freedom; to travel and participate on short-term mission opportunities; to meet and share with missionaries, travelers, students, foreign workers, and others who share their culture and knowledge and perspectives; and for the global work of the Savior, and my privilege to share in it.

Time to pack my bags– I’m heading to Germany tomorrow!

Do you ever suffer from “prayer’s block”– those times when you bow down, and your prayers seem stilted, or your mind keeps wandering, and you find yourself coming to God with…less. Not necessarily with nothing– you can always thank God for your daily bread, or worship the fact of his majesty or holiness or search your heart for confession or praise. But you’re left feeling like you really want to bring more…
Am I the only one who ever feels this? I don’t think so; and I don’t feel it often, but when I do, I just wish I had something like a prayer prompt to take the conversation to another level.

That’s when I find books extremely helpful. I recommend a personal prayer journal– one that has pages for each day, and lots of space to write requests and reminders as you pray. I’m on my third year through a journal, and it has names of people who are celebrating birthdays or anniversaries on that day– including sad anniversaries of losses or challenges. But even if you don’t have a journal, there are other great and creative ways to jump-start a great conversation with God. See the page on my ideas for a Prayer Journal, or search for other wonderful ideas online to get you started.

Have you ever prayed a page from the phone book? (or your personal address list? or another list?) It can feel awkward and impersonal to pray for people simply by name and without knowing anything about them, but it can also be instructive. How so? It reminds you that:

You are one person in a larger community of people you may not even know. We live in a world that is more connected than ever before; yet we can be more isolated than ever before. Neighbors come and go, communities grow (or shrink) without our awareness, unless we make ourselves look around.
Your problems are part of a larger reality. Sometimes, our prayer life becomes narrow as we focus on our own struggles and needs. Looking around doesn’t mean that our struggles are any less painful, important, or real; it does remind us, though, that we live in a big world– and that we have an even bigger God!
You may be the only Jesus another person will ever know… your prayers for a stranger may have unexpected consequences for them, as well as for you.

Similarly, you can pray through an old yearbook, or your friends list on Facebook or LinkedIn, the members of your favorite band or the cast of your favorite movie or TV show, the members of your local government..the list goes on. Rummage through your closet or look at old photos– are you finding anything to be thankful for, or reminded of times when God or others blessed you? Pray the newspaper (or your news feed)–there’s plenty of fodder there!

There are days when my heart is just too full (or maybe too empty) to concentrate. And it’s not that God doesn’t know or understand such times. But in this pursuit, I want to bring my best, and if “prayer’s block” comes, I don’t want it to be an excuse for missing out on the best that God has for me.

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