Praying
Last night, after all that, I was praying before I went to sleep.
And, it was a very interesting experience. I was soooo tired, and I was just like, "God, I'm so tired. I can't even say anything right now, but I know you know my heart. So I'm just gonna sit and be in your presence..." And I tried out the listening prayer.
I saw some things, like a rotating hourglass, but I didn't know what it meant; the lyrics of the song "You are Mine" also came to mind:
I will come to you in the silence.
I will lift you from all your fears....//
Do not be afraid, I am with you
I have called you each by name
Come and follow Me
I will bring you home
I love you and you are mine
They were helpful, but I felt like that was just my own thinking. And so I sat up in my chair and during my switch in position, something random came to mind, maybe because I was looking at my desk. I remembered that earlier I was praying for God to come down and that we would make space for Him in our lives... and an idea that I should LITERALLY make room for God in my life! Maybe it was just a burst of creativity, but definitely, I think it was God speaking to me through that.
So right now, I have a sheet of paper taped to one side of my desk, and on that paper it says, "This is God's space. Let Him do His work!" And I'm not going to put anything on that because that's God's workspace in my life. It's really exciting and "oh man, I need to be more neat now.."! Yes, one of my friends saw it today and looked at me like I was a little crazy, hahaha, which I guess is true. She doesn't think I can last long, but hearing that from her just fired up more determination in my life to stick it through (ha ha, no pun intended) the rest of the semester. THIS IS APPLICATION! I really do feel a huge joy in doing this. (:
In the passage of the paralytic, Jesus said, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic -- "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!" (ESV Mark 2)
To me, making room for God in my heart is too abstract. What does that even mean? Pray more?? By literally making room for God in the physical world around me... this is now so much more real to me.
My desk, slightly cleaner than usual.
God's place on my desk!
And, it was a very interesting experience. I was soooo tired, and I was just like, "God, I'm so tired. I can't even say anything right now, but I know you know my heart. So I'm just gonna sit and be in your presence..." And I tried out the listening prayer.
I saw some things, like a rotating hourglass, but I didn't know what it meant; the lyrics of the song "You are Mine" also came to mind:
I will come to you in the silence.
I will lift you from all your fears....//
Do not be afraid, I am with you
I have called you each by name
Come and follow Me
I will bring you home
I love you and you are mine
They were helpful, but I felt like that was just my own thinking. And so I sat up in my chair and during my switch in position, something random came to mind, maybe because I was looking at my desk. I remembered that earlier I was praying for God to come down and that we would make space for Him in our lives... and an idea that I should LITERALLY make room for God in my life! Maybe it was just a burst of creativity, but definitely, I think it was God speaking to me through that.
So right now, I have a sheet of paper taped to one side of my desk, and on that paper it says, "This is God's space. Let Him do His work!" And I'm not going to put anything on that because that's God's workspace in my life. It's really exciting and "oh man, I need to be more neat now.."! Yes, one of my friends saw it today and looked at me like I was a little crazy, hahaha, which I guess is true. She doesn't think I can last long, but hearing that from her just fired up more determination in my life to stick it through (ha ha, no pun intended) the rest of the semester. THIS IS APPLICATION! I really do feel a huge joy in doing this. (:
In the passage of the paralytic, Jesus said, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic -- "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!" (ESV Mark 2)
To me, making room for God in my heart is too abstract. What does that even mean? Pray more?? By literally making room for God in the physical world around me... this is now so much more real to me.
My desk, slightly cleaner than usual.
God's place on my desk!