Prayer: The Language of Our Relationship with God

Devotional

Day 1: Prayer Begins with Pausing in God's Presence

Prayer starts by pausing to become aware of God's presence, centering ourselves on who He is before anything else. When we pause, we shift our focus from our endless to-do lists and anxieties to the reality that God is our refuge, strength, and ever-present help. This act of pausing is not about rushing into requests or unloading our worries, but about recognizing that God is God, exalting Him, and allowing His presence to reframe our perspective. In the midst of chaos, uncertainty, or busyness, pausing in God's presence brings rest to our souls and reminds us that He is faithful and able to finish what He starts. [11:38]

Psalm 46:1-11 (ESV)
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Reflection: What would it look like for you to intentionally pause today—before any requests or worries—and simply acknowledge God’s presence and character in your life?

Day 2: Listening to God in Stillness

Prayer is not just speaking to God, but also listening for His voice in the stillness. In a world filled with noise, distractions, and constant activity, it is easy to let our prayers become one-sided monologues. Yet God invites us to be still, to quiet our hearts, and to listen for His gentle whisper. Just as Elijah encountered God not in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in the sound of sheer silence, we too are called to create space for God to speak. In the quiet, God reminds us of who He is, who we are, and the hope and future He has for us. [17:26]

1 Kings 19:11-13 (ESV)
And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Reflection: When can you set aside five minutes today to sit in silence before God, listening for His voice rather than filling the space with your own words?

Day 3: Resting in God’s Peace

True prayer leads us to rest in God’s peace, not striving for answers or perfection but receiving the rest Jesus offers. In a culture that values busyness and productivity, Jesus calls us to come to Him with our weariness and burdens, promising rest for our souls. This rest is not earned by our efforts but is a gift, rooted in what Christ has already accomplished. Sabbath rest—whether a full day or a few moments—reminds us that God is God and we are not, and that our worth is found in Him, not in our achievements. [31:22]

Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Reflection: What is one practical way you can embrace Sabbath rest this week—whether for an hour, a meal, or a day—to receive God’s peace and let go of striving?

Day 4: Breathing God’s Name to Recenter

Breathing God’s name is a powerful way to recenter your heart and mind on Him, especially when distractions and anxieties arise. By simply repeating the name of Jesus or a phrase like “Abba, I belong to you,” you anchor yourself in God’s presence and truth. This practice, known as centering prayer, helps you let go of comparison, competition, and the pressure to be enough, reminding you that your identity and success are found in being God’s beloved. As you breathe in and out, you invite God’s peace and perspective to fill you, allowing His voice to speak louder than the noise around you. [41:50]

Philippians 2:9-11 (ESV)
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Reflection: When you feel distracted or overwhelmed today, can you pause and simply breathe the name of Jesus, letting His presence recentre your thoughts and emotions?

Day 5: Prayer as a Lifestyle—Living Fully Present with God

Prayer is not just an activity for certain times, but a lifestyle of being fully present with God in every moment. It is the ongoing recognition that God is with you wherever you are—inviting you to listen, rest, and breathe in His presence throughout your day. Whether you are working, playing, teaching, or resting, prayer is the language that connects you to the heart of the Father. As you make space to pause, listen, rest, and breathe God’s name, you cultivate a life that is rooted in His love and empowered by His Spirit, ready to respond to His leading in every circumstance. [45:11]

Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Reflection: How can you intentionally weave moments of pausing, listening, resting, and breathing God’s name into the ordinary routines of your day, making prayer your language and lifestyle?

Sermon Summary

Prayer is not just a spiritual discipline or a religious obligation; it is the very language of the Christian life, the breath of our relationship with God. Just as every culture has a language that shapes its identity and connection, prayer is the language that shapes and sustains our life with God. From the very beginning, God initiated communication with humanity, and even though sin fractured that relationship, Jesus restored it, inviting us to live in ongoing communion with the Father through the Spirit. Prayer is not merely talking to God or presenting a list of requests; it is a dynamic, relational exchange—speaking, listening, and acting in response to God’s presence.

In a world obsessed with busyness, productivity, and endless to-do lists, it is easy to reduce prayer to a hurried transaction or a spiritual checkbox. Yet, the invitation of Scripture is radically different. Psalm 46 calls us to “be still and know that I am God,” reminding us that prayer begins not with our needs, but with God’s character and presence. When we pause in God’s presence, we reorient our hearts, find rest for our souls, and gain a perspective that transcends our circumstances. The act of pausing—of being still, listening, and resting—becomes a declaration that God is God, and we are not.

Pausing in God’s presence is not passive; it is an active posture of listening and receiving. It means quieting the noise, silencing our striving, and making space to hear God’s voice—sometimes in the sheer silence, as Elijah experienced. It is in these moments of stillness that God reminds us of who He is, who we are, and what He has already accomplished for us in Christ. Resting in God’s peace is not about earning or achieving, but about receiving the finished work of Jesus and allowing His rest to become the foundation from which we live and act.

One practical way to cultivate this posture is through practices like Sabbath and centering prayer—intentional rhythms of stopping, breathing, and speaking God’s name. These practices help us anchor our scattered minds and anxious hearts in the reality of God’s presence, reminding us that our worth and success are found not in our performance, but in our obedience and belovedness. As we listen, rest, and breathe God’s name, we are formed into a people whose language is prayer, whose lives are marked by the peace and presence of God.

Key Takeaways

1. Prayer is the language of relationship, not just a spiritual activity. It is a two-way communication initiated by God, sustained by Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. When we approach prayer as communion rather than transaction, we discover that God desires to speak, listen, and act with us, not just for us. [02:50]
2. The way we begin our prayers reveals what we truly believe about God. If we start with our needs, anxieties, or agendas, we risk making those things our functional “gods.” But when we begin by pausing to acknowledge God’s character, faithfulness, and sovereignty, we are re-centered in truth and find rest for our souls. [15:18]
3. Listening is an essential, often neglected, aspect of prayer. In a world filled with noise and distraction, learning to be still and listen for God’s voice is countercultural and deeply transformative. God often speaks in the quiet, and it is in the silence that we are reminded of our identity, calling, and the sufficiency of His presence. [17:26]
4. Resting in God’s presence is a radical act of trust. Sabbath and rest are not just ancient rituals, but ongoing invitations to cease striving and receive what Christ has already accomplished. When we rest in God, we declare to a restless world that our value is not in our productivity, but in being beloved children of God. [31:22]
5. Breathing God’s name is a practical way to anchor ourselves in His presence amid distraction and anxiety. Centering prayer—relaxing, breathing deeply, and repeating a simple phrase or name of God—helps us return to the truth of who God is and who we are in Him. In these moments, we are reminded that our obedience is enough, and God’s love is more than sufficient for every need. [41:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Introduction and Opening Joke
[02:50] - Prayer as Our Language
[05:30] - What Prayer Looks Like in Scripture
[08:45] - Defining Prayer: Communication with God
[11:38] - The Problem of Busyness and To-Do Lists
[15:18] - Prayer Starts with God
[17:26] - Listening to the Lord
[18:24] - The Challenge of Stillness in a Noisy World
[22:30] - The Power of Silence: Selah and Elijah’s Story
[27:00] - Resting in God’s Peace
[31:22] - The Gift and Practice of Sabbath
[37:11] - Breathing God’s Name
[41:01] - Hearing God’s Voice in the Midst of Comparison
[43:27] - Practicing Centering Prayer
[45:11] - The Importance of Pausing to Pray

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

In Psalm 46, what images does the psalmist use to describe God’s presence and protection? How does the psalmist respond to chaos and trouble?
According to the sermon, what does the phrase “be still and know that I am God” mean in its original context? [17:26]
In Matthew 11:28-30, what does Jesus promise to those who are weary and burdened? What does he say about his yoke and burden?
How did Elijah experience God’s presence in 1 Kings 19:9-13? What was different about the way God spoke to him compared to the dramatic events that came before?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says, “Whatever we start our prayers with is what we believe our God to be.” What does this mean, and how might it affect the way we approach God in prayer? [15:18]
Why is listening considered an essential part of prayer, and why do you think it is often neglected in our culture? [17:26]
The sermon describes Sabbath and rest as “radical acts of trust.” In what ways does choosing to rest challenge the values of our culture? [31:22]
How does the practice of “breathing God’s name” or centering prayer help us anchor ourselves in God’s presence, especially when we feel distracted or anxious? [41:50]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to pause in God’s presence before bringing our needs and to-do lists. This week, what would it look like for you to start your prayers by focusing on God’s character instead of your requests? Is there a specific way you can try this? [15:18]
When was the last time you truly listened for God’s voice in prayer, rather than just talking? What practical steps could you take to make space for silence and listening in your daily routine? [17:26]
The idea of Sabbath is to rest from striving and trust in what God has already accomplished. What is one area of your life where you struggle to stop striving? How could you intentionally practice rest or Sabbath this week, even if just for a short time? [31:22]
The sermon mentions that our worth is not found in our productivity but in being God’s beloved children. Are there ways you measure your value by what you accomplish? How can you remind yourself of your identity in Christ when you feel “not enough”? [41:01]
Distraction and anxiety often pull us away from God’s presence. The practice of centering prayer involves relaxing, breathing deeply, and repeating a simple phrase or God’s name. Would you be willing to try this practice? What phrase or name of God would be meaningful for you to use? [41:50]
The sermon says, “To start, we must stop. To move forward, we must pause.” What is one practical way you can build a rhythm of pausing—being still, silent, and present with God—into your week? [45:11]
Think about a recent time when you felt overwhelmed or anxious. How might pausing in God’s presence, listening, or breathing His name have changed your response in that moment? What can you do differently next time? [18:24]

Sermon Clips

Prayer is our very breath of life. And prayer is what God initiated in speaking forth creation and inspiring His Word that's been given to us. Prayer is what Jesus modeled at every aspect and point in His life in ministry. It's what He taught His disciples to do and to speak. It's how the church was founded. It's what the church continued to do in the days of the early church, every day that they met together. Prayer is what God's people are called to do in every situation, for all people and without ceasing. And when we pray, we experience God's presence. Amen? We experience change and breakthrough and hope and healing and provision and God's move in our midst. [00:02:50] (40 seconds)

Praying is living it's eating and drinking acting and resting teaching and learning playing and work and working praying pervades every aspect of our lives it is the unceasing recognition that God is wherever we are always inviting us to come closer and to celebrate the divine gift of being alive amen. [00:07:34] (20 seconds)

Pausing is this beautiful art of not moving forward and not moving backward it's being where you are at and being present in that moment and it's the posture of simply stopping and becoming aware of all the things going on and being able to say I want to be with the Lord in the midst of it all amen amen. [00:13:30] (20 seconds)

Psalm 46 shows us this hymn that declares that God is God, that God is our fortress and our refuge in the midst of everything in our lives. Did you notice that? The psalmist said, when the earth gives way, when the mountains shake, when the seas foam, aka God is our fortress in the midst of all of the natural things happening in our lives, friends. [00:14:02] (20 seconds)

When we can pause for a moment in God's presence and recognize He is really that good and honestly that faithful and true to His Word and able to finish what He starts, we can come to a place of finding rest for our souls. [00:15:48] (15 seconds)

That phrase, be still, is actually a call to put down their battle weapons. It's a call for them to stop fighting, to stop striving, to stop wrestling, to stop all together. Why? To know one thing that God is God. To know one thing, that God will be exalted. That it's not by your fighting that God is going to be exalted. It's by God's working that He's going to be exalted. [00:17:21] (25 seconds)

Pete Greig says it this way, To start, we must stop. To move forward, we must pause. This is the first step in a deeper prayer life. Put down your wish list and wait. Sit quietly. Be still and know that I am God. Become fully present in place and time so that your scattered senses can recenter themselves on God's eternal presence. Stillness and silence prepare your mind and prime your heart to pray from a place of greater peace, faith, and adoration. In fact, these are themselves important forms of prayer. Amen? [00:45:39] (29 seconds)

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