* Habakkuk 2:20 ~ “The LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.”
* Contemplative Prayer is where we actually spend time allowing God to speak to our hearts through prayer & His Word.
* Meditation follows hearing (or reading) the Word. Meditation leads to prayer. To pray without meditation is not allowing God to speak to us.
* Life is not going to stop to give us time to pray. We need to stop life for prayer!
* It is a CHOICE and I am in charge of finding a time and a place to be still before God!
* We need to make it a regular routine. Others around us need to know not to disturb us during this time. (This would be family, if you’re praying at home, or co-workers if you are praying on a break at work…)
* Isaiah 32:18 ~ “My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, they will enjoy peace & quiet in undisturbed places of rest.” (mix of NIV & NIrV)
* Matthew 17:5 ~ But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to Him.”
* I need to enter into His presence, close my mouth, & just allow Him to speak…
* Intimacy through silence brings revelation and revelation brings changes in our lives.
* It is really difficult for us to just sit & be silent! Silence leaves us vulnerable. But, when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, before our Loving Creator, He will show us areas that need change & He'll affirm what we're doing right... It's worth the risk of being vulnerable to develop that intimacy!
* IF you are stuck ~ sometimes the best place to start is with what you’re struggling with! (Forgiveness? Contentment? Gratefulness? God’s Provision?) Just look up verses on the topic you’re dealing with. Read a verse or two or three…then, think about those verses. Ask God what He wants you to learn from those verses. Ask specifically. He IS the author of the Book, after all!
* Question to reflect on ~ “How would I pray differently if God was sitting across a table from me?” Do my prayers sound like a conversation ~ or they all one sided?
* Question to reflect on ~ “How would I respond to His Word differently if God was standing in my kitchen?” Would I be so quick to close the Bible after reading it? Or, would I ask the author questions about what I just read? Would I ask Him how to apply it to situations in my life?
* God doesn’t want perfection! He does not ask me to be perfect! He just wants us to walk faithfully, to have a growing spiritual walk, to reflect His love to others! Contemplative Prayer is a tool that enables us to do this!
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