Powerful Patterns of Prayer in “The Wesley Experience.”

Our prayer group met once a week for an hour-and-a-half because we wanted to “learn how to pray.” We talked about our experiences of prayer, shared prayer requests, kept a written record of  them, and documented answers to prayer. We would pray together and “look in tomorrow’s paper for God’s answers” (as someone put it.)

From some of the participants:

Big Jack: “When I began to pray earnestly and faithfully, I discovered that God was only five minutes away!”

Joanne said, “Through prayer I discovered something I was certain had never been discovered before—”God is Love!”

Calvin and Marilyn discerned that they would sell their thriving business so Calvin could become a manager with Goodwill Industries because that was a better way to use his gifts and talents to help people than continuing to develop a chain of drug stores.

For the first time for any of us, our group discovered that there is spiritual power available through prayer practices like those we were experiencing.

Would you like for your church to specialize in making your own “pictures of prayer?”

Ask your pastor and other leaders not to rest until they develop “a picture” of dates and places where you can meet for prayer about how you can “put God first in your life!”

Contact Danny@spiritslaughing.com about ordering “The Wesley Experience” book and booklet.

Kelley and her husband were remodeling their home while continuing to live in it. There were workers and tools everywhere. She was overwhelmed with clutter and low energy, and was sitting at the top of the attic stairs when she glimpsed rays of the sun beaming through an attic window. It was as if she began to “drink in the radiance of sunlight” beaming through the confusion of clutter and the absence of order. She didn’t want to leave that place. That spot (and that Presence) became her “prayer closet” at the entrance to the attic.

Rosalie had her second knee replacement a few weeks ago. (Now she’s thankful that she has only two legs!) Her practice is to write her deepest desires—and they often become personal prayer requests. From writing she moves to centering, remembering, and voicing. These movements help her to walk with Jesus and praise Him for all good things that need to be done—when she doesn’t even know what they are. She testifies about how quickly the written intercessions become answered prayers that are miraculous. Rosalie says, “It’s almost like one of her hands is in the hand of Jesus and Jesus carries her concern in the other hand. She says, “Jesus is the DOER!” In John 15: 4, Jesus says, “Remain in me and I will remain in you . . .”

Pictures from “the least of these . . . Mat, 25: 40.”

Here are pictures of prayer presented by three of our grandchildren:

Joe at three or four: He had just learned to say Grace before the meal. While seated at dinner with family friends, he asked if he could “say the blessing!” “Sure, Joseph, you say our grace!” After a brief pause he said, “Mother, tell me that man’s name again!”

Claire: “Mother, why do we say Amen when we finish praying?” Ross, who was eight said, “It’s like when you finish an email and click send.”

Carson at eight: Carson asked me, “Why do we call 12, twelve?”  “Carson, I’m sorry but I don’t know why we call 12, twelve.”

“That’s okay. I’ll ask God.”

After reflecting for an instant on what he had said I asked, “Carson, when will you ask God?” He said, “The next time I’m talking with Him.”

Three pictures of prayer “by the least of these . . .”

Then, there was “Dog—the Bounty Hunter” on T.V. His bounty team had just pulled a man carrying two guns and a knife from under a house after dark. When the team returned to his office they were having prayer as is their custom. His young grandson said he wanted to say the prayer. He began with a brief silence. Dog said, “Son, Jesus is busy. Get on with your prayer so we can say Amen!” Another “picture of prayer.”

Jesus, little Joseph, Claire, Carson, and “Dog—the Bounty Hunter, each picturing prayer in their own way!

A “Prayer Closet” may be an actual closet.

My Aunt was a devout, deep, and faithful “Prayer-Disciple.” There was a small closet near the center of her modest home that she designated as her physical and literal Prayer Closet. There was just enough “room in it” to accommodate a shelf for the open Bible and a cross and two candles; a straight chair; and space in one wall for the door. On regular occasions she went into her “prayer closet” to pray. When it came to a place to pray she was literal. When it came to the practice of prayer, she was faithful!

A “Prayer Closet” may be an actual closet.

One of our most vivid pictures of Prayer is in Matthew 6: 6. Jesus said “Whenever you pray go into your room (NRSV); inner room (NAB) private room (NJB) a room (REB) your closet (KJV) and shut the door and pray to your Father in secret; and your Father who is in secret will reward you.”

By either of these versions you choose, this passage is one of our simplest, yet most dramatic pictures of prayer. Whether a room or a closet—a place of prayer is profoundly important—absolutely essential!

“Closet” and “room” are metaphors. The type of space is not as important as anyplace where prayer actually occurs.

For Mrs. Parrett in our congregation, her “prayer closet” was a “prayer chair” in the corner of her living room. Out of respect, no one else sat in it. When she showed it to me and indicated how meaningful it was—and how many years she had used it—she asked if I wanted to sit in it.

I said, “Oh no! That is a sacred place for you!” She touched my hand and said, “Danny, I want you to sit in my prayer chair!”

I said, “It is an honor for me to have this privilege.” I sat there as she sat nearby, and we remained in the silence for quite awhile!

What a profound “Picture of Prayer!”