Currently I am reading a book by Dr. Larry Crabb called “The PAPA Prayer”. I have been challenged in my prayer life lately as I have been reading. Many times I will go to the “Give me” petitionary type prayers without any consideration of my relationship with God. In Larry’s book, I am being challenged to center my prayer in relationship with God. What is most important is how I am relating to Him and often it is the quick 5 minute version of a list of “give mes” or my own selfish perspectives.
To change my perspective I must focus on my relationship with Christ as if He were sitting in a chair facing me. Having a conversation as I would anyone I know or love should come easily, but with the Lord it can become more of a challenge. So Dr. Crabb has a pattern to the PAPA prayer that I hope to practice in the coming days:
P Present yourself to God.
A Attend to how you are thinking of God.
P Purge yourself of anything that blocks your relationship with God.
A Approach God as the “first thing” in your life.
I am excited to experience relational prayer in my spiritual life in 2009. I look forward to spending more time like Mary who sat at the feet of our Lord Jesus.
Good stuff.