Prayer 101: steps to contemplative prayer

The so-called guidelines of contemplative or centering prayer are something similar to these (variances in denomination or semantics may apply). I'll briefly comment as we go down the list:

Find a place where you can sit and be still without interruption. What's wrong with that? Jesus continually did that. Jesus wanted private time with His Father, so in order to do that, He would get up early and go to a "solitary place". Matthew 14:13, Mark 1:35, Luke 4:42,  John 6:22.

Sit up and straight. Again, no problem. We are, I am, sitting and waiting to meet with the  Creator of the Universe. By sitting up straight, I am putting myself into a proper posture that is expectant and purposeful. I am also showing respect to God by being ready for Him. I'm not slouching about or having my head under the pillow. I am purposely attentive, but not entirely comfortable. I am ready to do business with God.

In certain mystic rites, "sacred words" are used. I DO NOT agree with this practice. Initially, the words may be "sacred" but at some point, they may become common. Eastern mysticism uses special words, monks say similar, albeit more "Christian" words, but they're still words.

In a Christian response, I would say that the believer should speak  Scripture. Whether he or she is reading it from the Bible or repeating a memorized verse, God's Word is powerful and effective. God's Word is also NOT to be taken lightly. Scripture memorization is a fairly unpopular discipline and excuses as to why people "can't" memorize are abundant. The fact of the matter is, we all should be hiding God's Word in our hearts. Psalm 119:11. It can be done. If you can "memorize" a  recent top 40 song, you can memorize God's Word.

Breathe deeply and naturally - offering yourself to God. I don't have a real problem with this "step" except that for many, it has a "mystical" feel. Let me put it this way: God, I believe, wants me to come to Him as I am. He knows who I am anyway, so why show up showing off and with a bunch of pretenses?  Secondly, I SHOULD be offering myself to God! Romans 12:1-2 clearly states that we are to, "offer [our] bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is [our] spiritual act of worship". Prayer time, really anytime we are with God alone or in a group, is a time of worship, and it should be treated as such.

As far as the breathing goes, think of it this way: what do you do when you're aggravated or frustrated about something? When the kids or your staff or your boss has completely run rough-shod over you, what is a good and practical thing to do? Stop and take a breath. Taking that breath allows you to gain some focus and release some stress. It is a  good and natural thing to do. Remember this little rhyme: "Out with the bad air, in with the good"? Breathing is good.

Close your eyes. Why not? As I close my eyes, I close off any visual distractions that may or will come my way. When I close my eyes to pray, I can better concentrate on my silent or vocal conversation with God. As parents, don't we teach our children to close their eyes and bow their heads when they pray? God wants us to come as children to Him. Furthermore, how do you look upon a holy and righteous God?

Sink into God's loving arms or presence. Here's where some people get caught up. First of all, God is God and  I'm not. He is the Creator, I am the creature. He is Spirit, I am corporeal (although in the Person of Jesus, He is clothed in human form;  that's a whole other discussion). Cutting ourselves loose from this world is not natural. Stepping into the supernatural, which is God, is impossible. But I believe He calls us to do exactly that. How many people do you know choose to avoid God because they have a faulty idea or perception of Who He is? There are many times when I need a "divine hug". You may need one too.

Some people bristle at the thought of being a "spouse" of Jesus as one particular author of contemplative prayer puts it. Well, if Jesus calls Himself the bridegroom and His church is the Bride, and we believers are a part of the church, then are we not Jesus' spouse? It may sound strange, but what else do you conclude or how else would you put it - especially if you're a man?  Truth be told, I wish I could be one smidgen the husband to my wife that Jesus is husband to His bride the church. Matthew 9:15; 25; Mark  2:18 - 20; Luke 5; Ephesians 5:25 - 27; Revelation 19:7; 21:1 - 10.

The other issue at hand is I may believe that God is waiting to whack me as soon as I enter His presence. I may say that God is loving, but do I believe that to the core of my being? I think this is where many people,  particularly Christians, struggle. Because many of our human relationships may have been distant or "unloving", we don't or may not know how to accept God's truly loving arms around us. That's tragic, but it's something that we have to understand nonetheless. When we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ Jesus (Isaiah 61:10), we are no longer enemies of God (Romans 5:10, Colosians 1:21 - 22). His love for us is unconditional.

Clear your mind. I believe this is the heart of much of the controversy of contemplative or centering prayer. "Clearing your mind" essentially ties in or is the end result of breathing deeply, closing your eyes, and sinking into the arms of God mentioned above. Clearing your mind of anger or anxiety or distracting thoughts and so on, is necessary BUT, then what are you filling that void with? That's the issue.

In much of Eastern mysticism, clearing the mind is "necessary" to allow fresh new thoughts and ideas to come in. I don't know about you, but as a  Christian, unless I know exactly where this "new" stuff is coming from, I  don't want it in my mind. I have had enough of my own issues. Oh, they may at first seem OK or correct or even sound Biblical, but what are their roots? Am I able to discern where they are from and to whom or what I am being directed? Many things or thoughts may seem godly, but I have to prove them against God's Word.

Keep in mind that nature doesn't like vacuums. If our minds are cleared out, something will fill that void. I want to be certain that what is replacing the anxious or distracting thoughts in my mind are indeed God's thoughts. For this reason, I pray with my Bible in hand or at least open and next to me where my daily reading and study keep me. If I use a "sacred word"  it had better be God's Word in its correct context.

Not to be facetious, but if you're clearing your mind of life's cobwebs, that's a  good thing. Just clean it up and refill it with God's Word. One last comment before moving on: what or how does a Christian reconcile participating in yoga or certain eastern martial arts classes run by unbelievers or pagans? That's just a question. I don't have an answer to that.

Return to the Lord when you're distracted. Again, why not? How often are you in prayer and the phone rings or the doorbell rings? Or your pager goes off? Any other of a multitude of distractions can keep us (me) from a time with God.

The natural world wants to keep us from being with God. The evil one wants to keep us from being with God. He wants all Christians to be ineffective in winning souls for Christ. He wants us happy in the world and distracted from the things of God.

Stray and sometimes "unholy" thoughts may cross our minds. We (I) wonder, "Where did that come from?" That's the natural man that is still part of us (me) speaking. We must continually suppress those thoughts down and away. The wicked may suppress God's Word and Truth (Romans 1:18), but we must suppress the sinful nature that lives in each of us (Romans 7 and 8).

We have to purposefully return to God. With our Bibles open, His Word brings us back to holy communion. I find it much easier to return to God when I  can either read Scripture or recall an appropriate memorized verse. For example, if a thought pops into my head of a troubling issue, why not pray back to God His Word? I may pray, "Lord, I am anxious about...  you've said in Your Word that I should not be anxious about anything,  but in everything by prayer and petition, I present ... to You. My  Father, give me Your peace that passes all understanding to guard my heart and mind in Jesus." From Philippians 4:8-9.

A simple prayer like that brings me back. It "centers" me so that I can continue being with God.

One last thing to consider or bring out. Maybe two; and they're minor points. The first minor point is "time". How much time are we to spend in prayer, especially this purposeful, contemplative time of prayer?  Honestly, I don't know. I may spend 20 minutes, or if God chooses, it may be 3 hours. God is the one directing and guiding this time. He has called me to be obedient and participate. 

When God has "finished" with me, He'll let me know. 

The second is this. It is something that I'm just beginning to grasp. It is the fact that God really uses very few words. When He speaks to us either through His Word or in the impressions we receive by the Holy Spirit, He is succinct. He is exact. He's not "chatty". He doesn't mind if I'm chatty, but He's not. And He lovingly listens to me. He listens to my hurts, my concerns, my desires, my confessions. God hears my groanings when I don't have the words to say. He sees the tears that I shed because of brokenness and loss.

In conclusion, I want my life to be a life of prayer. I want to be communing with God throughout my entire day. I believe this is part of what Jesus meant by "abiding" in Him - John 15:1 - 16.  Yes, it may be an hour or so of reading, thinking, and prayer. Then a barrage of "arrow" prayers as I deal with situations during the day. But when I purposefully schedule a time to be with my Father who is in  Heaven, He not only brings forth His fruit in my life, but He also cuts or prunes away the unfruitful or unproductive parts of my life. And He does it lovingly and precisely. I can't do that on my own.

By putting aside relatively worthless arguments about semantics or different ideas, I put on Christ. I immerse myself - heart, mind, and strength - in God and His Word. I sit quietly and wait on Him, trusting in faith that He will meet with me. Yes, the God of the universe makes time to be with us as individuals. Each grape on that cluster on the vine is important.

When  I do abide or remain in Christ, God gets the glory. In turn, He rewards me now with joy in being a part of His Plan. Will I ever know God completely? No. That's why He will be providing us with eternity. This is all about God. This is all about your personal relationship with God -  and my relationship with God - on His terms. And the more time I spend alone with Him, in prayer and Bible reading and study, I will continue to be transformed. 

There's always unfinished business.