Adoration Prayer
Adoration prayer
Happy New Year, friends and family! As we are setting new goals or restarting old ones for 2016, let’s remember to set time apart with Him, soaking in His Presence, beholding the beauty of Him who is Worthy. This past year especially I have been really pressed into this question of “how do I define adoration prayer? why? and most importantly Who?” because time is so precious and I want to spend it wisely.
Have you ever been swept away in a moment or accumulative moments by the presence of the Lord and given a new perspective or refreshed vision? That is a purpose for me in adoration prayer (or contemplative prayer). When I give myself to meditating on His word, I long for the connection with God and transforming power that follows. I consider transformation to be a byproduct of sitting, worshipping and communing with the Lord in the silence, in the busy and in His word.
Gen 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Hover also means to linger. God lingered before He created. Out of nothing He created something. Out of the darkness, He brought forth Light. Our lives once were nothing, then He created something beautiful, magnificent and of great value.
I desire to linger and create with God, as He did in the beginning. I have recently started a new journaling bible where I paint, draw and get to be creative with writing in the margins. It helps me to linger on the pages. Even when I do not feel anything happening my faith is activated and I am engaged when I repeat back to Him what is written through writing and illustration.
When I come to Him with nothing, He creates something out of my heart and my work. I do my part and I trust Him with His. My part is to give honesty and vulnerability without regret or shame. I give Him my desires, my gratitude, my lack, my time, my discipline, my work and I receive security in Him, perspective, vision, confidence and unshakable faith. I do not withhold the hard things but I give the outcome to Him because He is trustworthy. He knows me fully and loves me fully. The more I give to Him, the more I depend on Him and need Him to fill the gaps.
Adoration or contemplative prayer is a place for me where:
I am present and I acknowledge His presence
I am not jumping ahead to the future or dwelling on the past but I accept the present moment as the greatest reality because He is here and it is a gift that He has given me
I linger in His word
I push past comfortable rest, I do the work of rest and sit in sometimes uncomfortable silence
I let my cold heart touch the heat of His gaze
I let my darkness touch His light
My weary soul finds rest
There is no pressure to perform or to do more in this place
I remember His work, that is already complete, His grace that is sufficient for today and lean into it
I remember above all that I am a child of God, I am known
I am defined by my Father in heaven and not by my circumstances
All else fades away, I let Love have all of me
I love and am grateful for my family, friends and ministry opportunities but my success is not defined by them.
I am not defined by numbers; number of years, finances, friends, kids, etc
I am defined by connection with God, He’s got me, my heart and my life right where He wants me and where I need to be, in this moment.
He desires my connection more than my perfection
My joy is found in Him and truly He completes me and gives me eyes to see Truth
I let the voice of the accuser fall to the ground “not good enough, try harder, who does she think she is” and I remember to rest in Truth, I let Truth sink in deep and guide me “beloved, treasured, honored, already won”
He is worthy of my time, He is my reason and purpose, He is the object and person of my adoration
We are in Him, hidden, holy, kept safe always and forever
There is great peace and joy in adoration prayer and in practicing His presence when we give ourselves to it. It is the best way to spend my time and without it I lose my anchor of hope and reality.
In case you need to hear this today: you are doing great, keep going and you are doing the right thing, beloved. God loves you and sees you choosing Him in the midst of a thousand distractions and other decisions.
Love and Blessings,
Ruth
<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14648119/?claim=jx4xc8hqdh9">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
EndFragment
