Spiritual Survival Guide
6: Keeping It Going: Moving Beyond Survival Mode
a phony; don’t make a show out of it; pray for your enemies; be con- fident; be persistent. And then he taught them a pattern for prayer— what we now call the Lord’s Prayer. In the final chapter of this book you’ll find a helpful guide to praying the Lord’s Prayer for yourself. One final thought. You may have noticed that many Christians have a habit of praying “in the name of Jesus.” Here’s why: In a profound way, the Bible presents Jesus as our intercessor, our mediator, our go- between. That means we don’t have to stand alone or pray on our own before God. Jesus stands alongside us or goes on ahead before us. This lets us be both humble and bold before God at the same time. The Christian writer Philip Yancey reminds us that Jesus didn’t stop praying for his disciples after he ascended to heaven. “In fact, the New Testa- ment’s only glimpse of what Jesus is doing right now depicts him at the right hand of God” where he always lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25). Think about that: Jesus himself is busy, right now, remembering you, praying for you, interceding for you. You are not forgotten.
Psalm 23
“The 23rd psalm reminds me that God is with me—even when I’m down.”
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Prayers That Have Made a Difference
When we pray, we welcome God to where we are and what we’re going through, and we make room for him in our life. Inmates have told us that the prayers that follow helped them know that God was with them and for them.
152
153
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online