Say Yes to Alphabet Prayers by Sandi Somers

 

As we near the end of our alphabet project, I discovered something surprising.

I lay awake one night, worrying. Gradually I turned to praying for a family on my prayer list. It wasn't too long before I fell asleep. Next morning my mind was clear of the worry, and I realized I hadn't even finished praying for everyone.

Occasionally I have restless wakeful nights, and I try praying. Recently I read an article that suggested praying Scriptures--work your way through the alphabet. Recite scriptures until you fall asleep. 

Aha!

It was a great idea. I could combine alphabet Scriptures with praying for people or personal needs. So the next wakeful night, I began.

A "Ask...Seek...Knock."

B "Bless the Lord, O my soul."

C "Confess your sins one to another."

 I didn't get too far. By the letters G and H, I was drifting in and out of sleep. But I did wake enough to J, and recited, "Jesus wept."

The next sleepless night, I decided praise was in order. I focused on Scriptures from Isaiah, even though thoughts were out of alphabetical order: "Almighty God, Wonderful Counsellor Everlasting Father, Prince of peace." "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord."

Then came a night I lay awake, even with quoting Scriptures. I was surprised that, though I've memorized a lot of verses, I couldn't recall examples--K, Q, R---Perhaps I wasn't fully alert. 

On later nights, I diverted from a strict alphabetical order and prayed The Lord's Prayer, praying into each verse. Or Psalm 23. Or favourite verses. 

I prayed for our pastors. I prayed for my writing. I prayed for our Canadian leaders. 

Then I realized something else was happening.

I was generally sleeping more soundly. The Lord's words were becoming a balm to my spirit. And I wasn't worrying nearly as much.

But more. I was reminded of how important it is to pray with Scripture. In this way, we know we are praying according to God's will. If we don't, we can, as the German theologian Dietrich Bonhoefffer wrote, "become victim of our own emptiness", praying in generalities.

In my regular morning prayer time, I began writing down special Scriptures for people--a process that will continue to grow. 

How will this process grow and influence my praying? My hope is that it will lead to more effective praying. God's word is powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit...and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).

If you haven't tried it, pray through Scriptures during a wakeful night, matching verses with special requests. 

God bless you this coming year.

Image by Pixabay

Praying for Our Readers by Sandi Somers

 

I wish that I had told my writing students to give some thought to what they wanted their books to make happen inside the people who read them.

Frederick Buechner

 Ten years ago in my first months writing for our blog, I wrote a post based on John Bunyan’s conversation with his book. I repeat it here with some adaptations.

John Bunyan’s Conversation with His Book

One author who articulated what he wanted to happen inside his readers was John Bunyan, who wrote The Pilgrim's Progress, one of the best-known allegories in Christian literature.

In the sequel, the journey of Pilgrim’s wife and children, Bunyan instructed the book to bravely go out into the world and tell people how much God loves them.

The book raised objections (and I’m paraphrasing some here): “What if they don’t believe me? What if people get angry? What if they criticize you, the author? What if they don’t like the way you wrote?”

Bunyan answered, “Don’t be afraid, Book, as you are a friend and are sent to friends, not enemies. If anyone objects to your authenticity, come back to me, and I will confirm that you are mine. Turn away from people who criticize you. Seek instead those who will rejoice when they read you.”

Prayers for Our Readers 

Pilgrim’s Progress, written over three hundred years ago, has challenged me again to be more specific as I pray for my readers. I’m still learning that praying our words into our readers’ lives can have a great impact. Here are points you may find helpful: 

·       Before praying for your readers, ask God for a listening attitude for His inspiration, His message and His guidance for the particular writing of the day.

·       Clarify your overall goal for the readers of each particular w-i-p.

·       Ask God to take your writing to those who need to hear from God.

·       Pray that each article will be a work of art to challenge your readers’ intellects as well as their spirits.

·       Ask the living Lord to step out of the sentences, paragraphs and ideas to leave His gentle touch on their lives.

·       Know how your prayers have great power. “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16 NLT).

·       Our church’s mission is for each person to know Jesus personally and become His devoted follower. Join Bunyan’s prayer:

 And may (your words) persuade some that go astray,

To turn their Foot and Heart to the right Way.[1]

And you? What do you want your writing to make happen inside your readers? As you explore this question, what are you discovering about how you can pray for yourself, your message, and your readers? What is God prompting you to do?

Image by Our Daily Bread

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[1]Adapted from John Bunyan, Revised and Updated by L. Edward Hazelbaker, The Pilgrims Progress in Modern English, (North Brunswick, NJ colon Bridge -Logos Publishers. 1998) 215 to 221.

 

Christmas: How Are You Shining in the Dark? By Sandi Somers

December is the month of least daylight, and can be a season of darkness naturally or spiritually. What is coming up in your heart about this special time of year?  What do you long for at Christmas?

Prompt: Write about your Tidings of Joy, Peace In the Midst of It All, Hope in the Darkness. Is there a Christmas Carol or passage of Scripture that is especially speaking to you this season?  Or write about what you and God have been 'working on' in your personal/family life this past year.

One Little Star

Some years ago a Christmas song with a twist became popular. A group sang a tranquil carol (“Silent Night”?) against a backdrop of sounds of gunfire, sirens, fighting—war.

That is my Christmas season this year. In the background of my own Christmas and celebration of Christ’s birth, I hear the of The Paris attacks one dark Friday night, downing of two Russian planes, war in the Middle East, the massive refugee situation.

Closer to home, the plunge in oil prices has had a devastating effect on our provincial economy. Individually, many have been laid off, not only in the oil patch.

 Darkness.

How can the light of God shine into that darkness?

The daily news has become my prayer journal, but I’m wrestling with how to pray more specifically. What strategies can God give me?

More important than exact strategies, however, is that God is calling me to “stand in the gap” (Ezekiel 22:30). To ask God to open up doors of ministry. To raise up a nation of intercessors. To stem the tide of terrorism. To take back our cities, our governments, our world for Christ. To pray God’s heart for my province and country (both with new governments).

My little prayers for such great issues are all I have. But I think of my friend Debbie who at one point was praying for Sudan. She wondered how her prayers could impact the whole situation. God answered her one night by showing her the sky full of stars. “See that little star?” He asked her. “That’s you, among all the other ‘stars’ that are praying.”

I was reminded that our prayers are tiny lights, and that “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16 ESV). Philip Yancey, in his book, Prayer, said it this way: “prayer…summons an invisible spiritual force that can have real effects.”

And so this Christmas I prayed for God to shine the light of His presence into our dark world.

And now over to you.

May the light of Christ shine on your Christmas!

PS: As I finish writing InScribe blogs for this year, I thank you for your contributions, for your wisdom, the way God is leading you, and how your writing is impacting your life and lives of others.