There is a discipline called...
Illustration
There is a discipline called "centering prayer" whereby we may draw near to the throne of grace. The very essence of our being is involved with and supported by God. Centering prayer is simply being present to God.
There is one technical requirement and three qualitative requirements for centering prayer: First, centering prayer requires practice. Second, trust in its possibility. Trust is different from believing. If a tightrope walker were to string a wire across the Grand Canyon and declare that he could push a wheelbarrow all the way across to the opposite side, would you believe him? Now, get into the wheelbarrow. That's trust. Third, desire, desire not for a specific kind of experience with certain expectations, but desire God, pure and simple. The fourth requirement is love ... love for God, that the love of God might find resonance in you.
The technique is as follows: First, let go of any and all specific expectations as to what you might experience. Second, take no more than 30 seconds to make a simple act of trust. Climb into the wheelbarrow, as it were. Third, introduce into your being a single word, which you will say silently for 20 minutes such as "God" or "Love" or "Jesus." You may want to say the word in the rhythm of your breathing.
Finally, at the end of 20 minutes emerge from the centering time with a very slow, phrase by phrase recitation of the Lord's Prayer. Say a phrase and let it shape in you before you go on to the next.
- Bond
There is one technical requirement and three qualitative requirements for centering prayer: First, centering prayer requires practice. Second, trust in its possibility. Trust is different from believing. If a tightrope walker were to string a wire across the Grand Canyon and declare that he could push a wheelbarrow all the way across to the opposite side, would you believe him? Now, get into the wheelbarrow. That's trust. Third, desire, desire not for a specific kind of experience with certain expectations, but desire God, pure and simple. The fourth requirement is love ... love for God, that the love of God might find resonance in you.
The technique is as follows: First, let go of any and all specific expectations as to what you might experience. Second, take no more than 30 seconds to make a simple act of trust. Climb into the wheelbarrow, as it were. Third, introduce into your being a single word, which you will say silently for 20 minutes such as "God" or "Love" or "Jesus." You may want to say the word in the rhythm of your breathing.
Finally, at the end of 20 minutes emerge from the centering time with a very slow, phrase by phrase recitation of the Lord's Prayer. Say a phrase and let it shape in you before you go on to the next.
- Bond
