Embracing Prayer: Trusting God's Work in Our Lives

 

Summary

As we step into a new year, it's a time for reflection and anticipation. We are reminded that God is constantly at work in our lives, often in ways we may not immediately recognize. This year marks the culmination of a vision campaign that began several years ago, and it's a moment to celebrate the growth and changes within our church community. We've seen the establishment of new ministries, the expansion of our campuses, and the development of leaders like Jordan Gold, who is stepping into the role of campus pastor. These changes are part of our ongoing journey to align our church's structure with God's vision for us.

This year, our focus is on discipleship, with a particular emphasis on prayer. Prayer is the essence of the Christian life, a vital connection with God that should be simple and accessible. Yet, we often complicate it, much like I do with recipes, adding unnecessary complexity. The Lord's Prayer, as taught by Jesus in Luke 11, offers a model of simplicity and power. It invites us to approach God as our Father, to seek His will, and to trust Him for our daily needs. This prayer is not just a set of words but a pattern that shapes our relationship with God, helping us to trust Him more deeply.

Prayer is a place of vulnerability, where we are fully known and loved by God. It's where we find true self-awareness and receive what we truly need. As we pray, we are reminded of our need for security and significance, both of which are met in our relationship with God. This year, let's commit to praying the Lord's Prayer, allowing it to transform us and deepen our trust in God. Let's embrace silence, normalize boredom, and remember that prayer is not something we master but an act that forms us. God is always waiting for us with open arms, ready to meet us in prayer.

Key Takeaways:

1. God's Unseen Work: God is constantly at work in our lives, often in ways we don't immediately recognize. Reflecting on the past year helps us see His hand in our journey and prepares us for the future. As we enter a new year, let's be attentive to the ways God is leading us and be open to His guidance. [01:24]

2. Simplicity in Prayer: The Lord's Prayer is a model of simplicity and power. It invites us to approach God as our Father, seek His will, and trust Him for our daily needs. This prayer is not just a set of words but a pattern that shapes our relationship with God, helping us to trust Him more deeply. [07:36]

3. Prayer as Vulnerability: Prayer is a place of vulnerability, where we are fully known and loved by God. It's where we find true self-awareness and receive what we truly need. In prayer, we can be honest with God about our struggles and trust Him to meet our needs. [17:05]

4. Embracing Silence and Boredom: In our noisy world, it's important to embrace silence and normalize boredom in prayer. These moments allow us to be present with God, to listen, and to be formed by His presence. Prayer is not something we master but an act that shapes us. [23:33]

5. God's Open Arms: God is always waiting for us with open arms, ready to meet us in prayer. He is not disappointed or angry with us but desires to spend time with us. Through Jesus, we have access to God, and He invites us to trust Him more deeply. [29:55]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:24] - Reflecting on God's Work
- [04:22] - Leadership and Growth
- [05:56] - The Essence of Prayer
- [07:36] - Simplicity of the Lord's Prayer
- [08:57] - Understanding God's Name
- [10:59] - The Power of Short Prayers
- [14:09] - God's Passion for His Name
- [15:20] - Knowing God Through His Names
- [17:05] - Vulnerability in Prayer
- [19:00] - Hunger for God
- [20:06] - True Self-Awareness
- [22:29] - Engaging in Prayer
- [23:33] - Embracing Silence
- [26:15] - Rest and Peace in Prayer
- [29:55] - God's Open Arms

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Luke 11:1-4
- Psalm 63:1-8

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Observation Questions:

1. In Luke 11:1-4, what specific requests does Jesus include in the Lord's Prayer, and how do they reflect a relationship with God?
2. According to the sermon, what are some of the changes and growths that have occurred in the church community over the past year? [01:24]
3. How does the pastor describe his personal experience with making prayer more complicated than it needs to be? [05:56]
4. What does the pastor suggest about the importance of silence and boredom in prayer? [23:33]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the simplicity of the Lord's Prayer, as described in the sermon, help believers deepen their trust in God? [07:36]
2. What does the pastor mean when he says that prayer is a place of vulnerability, and how does this relate to being fully known and loved by God? [17:05]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that embracing silence and boredom can enhance one's prayer life and relationship with God? [23:33]
4. How does the pastor's emphasis on God's open arms challenge common misconceptions about God's attitude towards us in prayer? [29:55]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on the past year. Can you identify moments where you now see God's unseen work in your life? How can this awareness shape your approach to the new year? [01:24]
2. The pastor talks about making prayer unnecessarily complicated. Are there ways you might be complicating your prayer life? What steps can you take to simplify it? [05:56]
3. How can you incorporate the practice of praying the Lord's Prayer into your daily routine? What impact do you hope it will have on your spiritual growth? [07:36]
4. Consider your current prayer habits. How can you create more space for silence and embrace moments of boredom to deepen your connection with God? [23:33]
5. In what ways can you remind yourself of God's open arms and His desire to meet you in prayer, especially during times of doubt or struggle? [29:55]
6. Think about a specific area in your life where you need to trust God more deeply. How can prayer help you in this area, and what specific prayer can you commit to this week? [20:56]
7. How can you use the insights from Psalm 63 to cultivate a deeper hunger for God in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to seek God earnestly? [19:00]

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing God's Subtle Guidance
God is always at work in our lives, often in ways that are not immediately visible. As we reflect on the past year, we can begin to see the subtle ways in which God has been guiding us. This reflection helps us to be more attentive to His presence and open to His guidance as we move forward. By acknowledging God's unseen work, we prepare ourselves to embrace the future with faith and trust. [01:24]

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a moment in the past year where you initially didn't see God's hand at work. How can you now recognize His guidance in that situation, and how does it prepare you for the future?


Day 2: Embracing the Simplicity of Prayer
The Lord's Prayer, as taught by Jesus, is a model of simplicity and power. It invites us to approach God as our Father, seek His will, and trust Him for our daily needs. This prayer is not just a set of words but a pattern that shapes our relationship with God, helping us to trust Him more deeply. By focusing on the simplicity of prayer, we can deepen our connection with God and find peace in His presence. [07:36]

"Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.'" (Matthew 6:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: How can you simplify your prayer life today to focus more on your relationship with God rather than the words you use?


Day 3: Vulnerability in Prayer
Prayer is a place of vulnerability, where we are fully known and loved by God. It's where we find true self-awareness and receive what we truly need. In prayer, we can be honest with God about our struggles and trust Him to meet our needs. This vulnerability allows us to deepen our relationship with God and find security and significance in Him. [17:05]

"Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us." (Psalm 62:8, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel vulnerable? How can you bring this vulnerability to God in prayer today?


Day 4: The Power of Silence and Boredom
In our noisy world, it's important to embrace silence and normalize boredom in prayer. These moments allow us to be present with God, to listen, and to be formed by His presence. Prayer is not something we master but an act that shapes us. By embracing silence, we create space for God to speak and work in our lives. [23:33]

"But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me." (Psalm 131:2, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate moments of silence into your prayer life today, allowing God to speak to you in the stillness?


Day 5: Trusting in God's Open Arms
God is always waiting for us with open arms, ready to meet us in prayer. He is not disappointed or angry with us but desires to spend time with us. Through Jesus, we have access to God, and He invites us to trust Him more deeply. By trusting in God's open arms, we can find peace and rest in His presence. [29:55]

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle to trust God? How can you take a step today to trust in His open arms and find peace in His presence?

Quotes

"One pastor said it once, God may be doing 10,000 things in your life and you may be aware of three of them. And I know that for me. For me, I have to constantly be pressing in to think and to hear from God about what he's doing in me, what he's doing around me, and what he's doing through me. And that's what we want to actually be helping with this next year." [00:01:18]

"Prayer is essential to spiritual growth. In fact, I think I'm going to say it a little bit later. You can't be a Christian and not pray. You're basically, if you're not praying, a functional atheist. Hey, can we say that that's bold for January? I get it. But if we're not praying, then why? What are we doing right?" [00:04:50]

"The problem is, is that we make it far more complicated than it has to be, don't we? I'm really good at that, making simple things complicated. There are people who make complicated things simple, right? You know, people like that. I'm not one of those. Okay, I make simple things complicated." [00:05:48]

"What I love about the Lord's Prayer is the simplicity of it. Jesus makes prayer accessible. If we go to Luke chapter 11, and I'm going to invite you to turn there, and as we do that, know this, we're going to spend five weeks in these little verses, in these four verses. Some weeks, we're only going to consider three words, okay?" [00:08:03]

"True prayer is measured by weight, not by length. A single groan before God may have more fullness of prayer in it than a fine, oration of great length. Isn't that encouraging? How many of you have just thought, I can't pray because I just don't have the words." [00:10:59]

"Prayer is confrontational because it's in that place that we are exposed, that we are truly known, all the good and all the bad. It's a place where we're vulnerable. To enter into the presence of a holy God is to expose all of our unholiness. He knows every little part of us. He knows all our thoughts, and that should be terrifying to us." [00:16:56]

"This idea that Jesus draws close to us should produce in us a wonder and an excitement. That's what Calvin says about this passage. He says that to pray this prayer is to expose your heart to the miracle of God. The majesty and the wonder that is the amazing God." [00:18:10]

"Prayer is the place of true self-awareness. It's where we see ourselves for how we really are, but also know that we're deeply, deeply loved in spite of those things. It's the place where God can give us what we truly need. It's the place where God can give us what we truly need and what our hearts truly, truly desire." [00:20:39]

"There's a cultivating of this neediness that prayer does for us. But when God is close and he knows our need and also in control and that he's sovereign over everything, we can trust that our prayers will be answered. So that's the power of those four words. Father, hallowed be your name." [00:22:06]

"One of the hindrances to prayer is that you have to sit and you have to listen and you have to do so in silence, because we renewed ourselves and our duty is to encourage the devil. My strength is in the Abram'saction. God whispers, right? And God shows things that are so profound and so meaningful in the familiar things, right?" [00:23:41]

"Prayer is not something we accomplish. Right? We live in a productivity-mad culture. And so to sit and take time for prayer, whether it be in the morning or in the evening or in the afternoon, is countercultural. I remember being a kid, being bored almost all the time. Like, that's what I think of in my childhood, right?" [00:25:08]

"Trust that God is always waiting for you with open arms. Right? God wants to talk to you. God wants to spend time with you. God is not disappointed in you. He's not angry with you. He doesn't turn his back ever on you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. How do we know all of that's true? Because of what Jesus did." [00:29:34]

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Transcript
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