EHS Practices – Week 3 – Day 2

THEME: GOING BACK TO GO FORWARD

BREATH PRAYER: LORD, HELP ME FACE MY PAST AND ACCEPT YOUR FREEDOM

SETTLING IN:

• In a journal, note the day, time, and place you’re sitting.
• Open with a few moments of silence. Rest, and breathe deeply.
• Complete the following sentence in your journal: Today, I feel ________________.
• Read these words slowly (aloud or silently):

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. (1 Corinthians 1:30)

Pray this week’s breath prayer and pause for a few moments of silence.

PRACTICE:
praying scripture

Prayer is communion with God, a time to enjoy being in His presence. Sometimes we speak, sometimes He speaks, and sometimes we are both silent. The practice of praying Scripture gives us the words of God to speak back to God, offering His perfect Truth as the desire of our hearts. In this way, we allow God to direct the subject and content of our prayer.

Today we’ll focus on praying the words of Hebrews 12:1-3. First, read the passage slowly. If your attention is drawn to a word or phrase, meditate on it for a few moments. Lay it before God as a prayer, even if it doesn’t sound like something you would typically pray.

Now read the passage a second time, replacing words like “we” and “our” with personal pronouns: “Therefore, since [I] [am] surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses, let [me] strip off every weight that slows [me] down, especially the sin that so easily trips [me] up …” Again, pause on anything that strikes you as important, or anything that brings up emotions or memories–even if you don’t get through the whole passage.

Read the passage a third time, replacing “we” and “us” with your name. Picture Jesus, the perfect Intercessor, praying these words to the Father on your behalf (see Romans 8:34): “Therefore, since [name] [is] surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses, let [name] strip off every weight that slows [him/her] down, especially the sin that so easily trips [him/her] up …” Consider the power behind Jesus’s prayer for you.

Digging Deeper: This week we’re praying for the Lord to help us face the past. Verse 2 says we are able to run the race with endurance by keeping our eyes on Jesus. Think through some of the pivotal moments of your past, either positive or negative. In those moments, can you picture Jesus as having been with you, or by your side in the midst of each circumstance? If not, pray about that specific moment, and ask Jesus to help reveal the ways in which He was present to you, even when you were not aware of His nearness.

• Summary: Write a brief summary (five sentences or less) of what stood out to you while praying through this passage.
  
• Closing Prayer: Thank Jesus for His constant presence and His example of patient, obedient endurance. Lord, help me face my past and accept Your freedom.