Prayer: Finding Our Way Home - First-Centenary United Methodist

The Prayer of Suffering (The Sanctuary)

April 10, 2022

The fact is that life is hard sometimes. It is filled with chaos, brokenness, and strife. There is much pain and suffering in our lives and the lives of many in the world. The Psalmist mentions the troubles in his own life. Surely, we think about the Cross on this day and the pain that Christ endured, the humiliation of the cross, the scourging at the hands of the soldiers, and the mocking he had to deal with. Let’s not forget the pain of being betrayed and denied by those He trusted. We can pray the prayer of suffering because we have the Great High Priest who understands. We can pray the prayer of suffering because we have a God who suffers with us.

The Prayer of Suffering (The Vine)

April 10, 2022

The fact is that life is hard sometimes. It is filled with chaos, brokenness, and strife. There is much pain and suffering in our lives and the lives of many in the world. The Psalmist mentions the troubles in his own life. Surely, we think about the Cross on this day and the pain that Christ endured, the humiliation of the cross, the scourging at the hands of the soldiers, and the mocking he had to deal with. Let’s not forget the pain of being betrayed and denied by those He trusted. We can pray the prayer of suffering because we have the Great High Priest who understands. We can pray the prayer of suffering because we have a God who suffers with us.

The Prayer of Hope (The Sanctuary)

April 3, 2022

This is a pilgrimage song. Are there songs you use to sing when traveling to some destination like the beach or just to Lake Winnie. We would pack in cousin Betty’s car and sing; Found a Peanut, Michael Row Your Boat Ashore, and other songs. We were anticipating the cotton candy, the cannonball roller coaster and the boat chute. (I still believe there are snakes in there.) You read this psalm and there is a renewal of faith. Yes, there have been tough times but God is Good. Yes, there have been challenging times but God is with us. Yes, there have been painful times but our hope is in God. What prayers of Hope can we offer today?

The Prayer of Hope (The Vine)

April 3, 2022

This is a pilgrimage song. Are there songs you use to sing when traveling to some destination like the beach or just to Lake Winnie. We would pack in cousin Betty’s car and sing; Found a Peanut, Michael Row Your Boat Ashore, and other songs. We were anticipating the cotton candy, the cannonball roller coaster and the boat chute. (I still believe there are snakes in there.) You read this psalm and there is a renewal of faith. Yes, there have been tough times but God is Good. Yes, there have been challenging times but God is with us. Yes, there have been painful times but our hope is in God. What prayers of Hope can we offer today?

The Prayer of Protection

March 6, 2022

People have been disillusioned with God because they have been led to believe that God will protect them from all things hard, difficult and painful. People end up far from home when they feel God has let them down - GOD HAS NOT PROTECTED THEM! So, what does this Psalm tells us about God’s protection? What protection should we pray for and expect from God? The Psalmist says God will protect you from all trouble, disease, hardship, and suffering. How do we find our way to God’s presence even in the strife and chaos of this world?

The Prayer of Patience (The Vine)

March 13, 2022

This is a Psalm of trust. Often, we are demanding God to act, or we are saying: “Seriously God”! We try to manipulate God through our prayers and become frustrated when God does not bend to our will. In this psalm/prayer the writer is seeking to align his will with the will of God. Look at vs. 13-14 I am sure I will see God’s goodness. Take heart and do not quit on God!

The Prayer of Solitude (The Sanctuary)

March 20, 2022

The Psalmist speaks of hungering for God while in the Judean desert. The Psalmist was desiring God who is faithful, satisfying, and a helper. I wonder if we spent more time in desert places would we find that deep hunger for God surfacing? Do we see the importance of time spent with God in solitude? Sure, most people cannot go to the desert places like the monks use to, but can we not carve out our own spaces that are barren enough to be filled with the presence of God. In the desert there are beautiful things to be found.

The Prayer of Solitude (The Vine)

March 20, 2022

The Psalmist speaks of hungering for God while in the Judean desert. The Psalmist was desiring God who is faithful, satisfying, and a helper. I wonder if we spent more time in desert places would we find that deep hunger for God surfacing? Do we see the importance of time spent with God in solitude? Sure, most people cannot go to the desert places like the monks use to, but can we not carve out our own spaces that are barren enough to be filled with the presence of God. In the desert there are beautiful things to be found.

The Prayer of Confession (The Vine)

March 27, 2022

Guilt has a way of causing us to wander in the darkness, refusing to accept the grace that God is wanting to give us. The Psalmist talks of the guilt of sin and the impact of sin upon his life. As verse 3-4 reads in the Message: “When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words become daylong groaning. The pressures never let up; all the juices of my life dried up.” Guilt has a way of robbing us of life that God intends for us to live. We cannot move forward with God into the future that God is offering us if we are lingering on the threshold of guilt-stuck in some past moment refusing grace. We like confessing others sins but not our own. How do we help others confess their sins? How do we confess our sins? Is not confession a gateway to new life in God?

The Prayer of Confession (The Sanctuary)

March 27, 2022

Guilt has a way of causing us to wander in the darkness, refusing to accept the grace that God is wanting to give us. The Psalmist talks of the guilt of sin and the impact of sin upon his life. As verse 3-4 reads in the Message: “When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words become daylong groaning. The pressures never let up; all the juices of my life dried up.” Guilt has a way of robbing us of life that God intends for us to live. We cannot move forward with God into the future that God is offering us if we are lingering on the threshold of guilt-stuck in some past moment refusing grace. We like confessing others sins but not our own. How do we help others confess their sins? How do we confess our sins? Is not confession a gateway to new life in God?