Back To Basics

Discernment is an important activity of the intentional interim process and mostly…

It’s about prayer.

A recent article in Living Lutheran…”Inner Flourishing: 5 ways to feed your soul.”

Reminded me to slow down a spend more time with God.

If this is back to basics time then here are some tips on how to spend more time with God:

• Turn off the tv, the ringer on your phone, & your computer.

• Sit in silence for a while. How long? Until you wake up!

• Tell God what is bothering you…take your time.

• Lift up those who are struggling.

• Thank God for your blessings…large and small and microscopic.

• Listen to the wind, the birds, the sounds of nature.

• Listen to the sounds of people as you pray for them.

• Try to remember as many Bible verses as you can…without peeking.

• Hum a song.

• Remember words of your favorite hymns.

Those are just a few ideas. The ideas themselves are not as important as setting aside the time to spend with God.

In 1535, Luther wrote a book for his barber containing practical advice on prayer. In A Simple Way to Pray, Luther recommended that prayer be the first business of the morning and the last at night. Guard yourself carefully against those false, deluding ideas which tell you, “Wait a little while. I will pray in an hour; first I must attend to this or that.” Such thoughts get you away from prayer into other affairs which so hold your attention and involve you that nothing comes of prayer for that day.