When God Sets a Table

May 2

God’s feast doesn’t fit into our tidy little box lunch.

God has prepared an extravagant table for us – for our delight and nourishment! No need to eat the whole buffet in one day. You can come back!

Here’s the fun part – we get to eat what we are hungry for! No strict diets here. There are on how you can feed on God’s Word or how to talk to Him. Sometimes we nibble and taste, sometimes we eat the same simple breakfast every day. Sometimes we feast on a grand buffet.

IT ALL COUNTS.

Sometimes it takes time to develop an appetite for something new or something better. So don’t give up if you try some new Bible plan and don’t immediately crave the Word. Keep it up for awhile and see if your appetite develops. Consistency matters. But you don’t get extra points if it’s lame and boring. See if you can find something you love! (Follow the links below for ideas.)

THE WORD

· Audio Bible - The Bible Experience

· Scripture Cards

· Lectio Divina

· Scripture memory/short (verses)

· Scripture memory - longer passages, whole psalms

· One-Year Bible

· Topical Bible Study

· Inductive Bible Study

· Write the Word - (lots of ideas on Etsy & Pinterest)

· Historical Background/Context

Other Practices:

· Nature / Praying a Psalm in its Nature Setting

· Receiving Empathy & Christian Counsel

· Christian Fellowship

· The Lord’s Table

· Church Attendance

· Uplifting Music

· Fasting

Ordinary Means of Grace

· Custom Graces (Practices that God invites you to which are custom-made for you.)

· Silence/Solitude It usually takes me about 24 hours of silence and solitude to really get deeply quiet. This is something that is a challenge in our culture! But it is worth it.

Retreat (Invitation to Retreat Book). Going on a silence and solitude retreat, alone, for the primary purpose of being with God, can be a very daunting thing. You could start with an hour or two away at a lake or any quiet place. No pinterest. No Facebook. No email. Just an open heart and open hands and a willingness to experiment. Take a journal and some books and your headphones. What might God do if you gave Him a few hours of your undivided attention?

· Art/Creating. God is the Creator - it is HIs very nature. And we were made in His image. When we create beautiful things (art, sculpture, music, poetry, prose, gardens, decorating) we are experiencing a taste of His glory in us. This can be a powerful expreince of worship.

Understanding yourself: Enneagram Books
Transforming Meditations on God’s Love

Affirmation of God’s Love

Being Known - Luke 3:22 (Curt Thompson)

PRAYER

· Breath Prayers (Make prayer a part of your very breath. Say a short phrase as you breathe in and another as you breathe out. Example: (Breathe in….the Lord is my shepherd. Breathe out….I shall not want.) This can help to rewire the brain with Truth in an area of struggle.

· Prayer apps (see “apps” section below for links). Sometimes it feels overwhelming to figure out how to pray “the right way”. A prayer app can provide daily plans and guidance to help you be consistent.)

· Walk/drive/nature. You don’t get extra credit for being miserable while you pray. There have been many seasons in my life where I would fall asleep if I tried to sit still and pray! I learned that if I walk around the room while I pray, it helps keep me focused. Or you could walk around your neighborhood. Or around your kids’ school. Or along a creek. Or take a drive with your coffee and pray out loud in the privacy of your car. Figure out what works for you!

· Contemplative Prayer (also called listening prayer or centering prayer). This is the practice of purposefully putting aside your own words and thoughts to simply sit in silence with Abba. The goal is not to listen real hard and get some kind of special Word from the Lord. It is simply to demonstrate trust and relationship by sitting quietly with Him. I like to imagine I am sitting by a peaceful creek with Jesus, and there are toy boats floating by. The boats are thoughts floating past my mind. If I realize that I have picked one up and am trying to focus on it, I simply hand the boat (thought/concern) to Jesus and go back to sitting quietly. For me, it represents the trust of letting Him be in control.

· Praying Scripture. It is such a comfort to know that when we pray Scripture, we are praying God’s Truth! When you don’t have the words, pray His Words.

· Prayer journal. This one is pretty basic, but powerful! It is easy to distracted from doing it. Simply write out your prayers and/or prayer lists.

· Visual Scripture (Put something in front of your eyes to remind your heart.)

· Praying the Hours Also called praying the Daily Office or Divine Office. It is simply pausing several times during the day to read Scripture and pray. Kindof like eating 3 meals a day!

· Prayer-a-day/5-finger prayer. Sometimes we just need a fresh plan. This is a simple way to focus on a different area of prayer each day.

Mon – Family

Tues – Church

Wed – Ministries

Thurs – Friends

Immanuel Journaling: Praying your need to God, then praying His response back to you.

Praying the Psalms

Lament

CRAFTING A RULE OF LIFE:

Think of it as a menu plan. This is a rhythm of life…a rhythm of the practices you love that keep your soul healthy. This is not guilt-driven. It is motivated by delight.

Start by writing down the practices you already do (like going to church every week or praying before bed). Then ask Jesus what else He might be inviting you to try. The goal is not MORE. The goal is healthy rhythm and regular nourishment….a full heart! Remember: One of our biggest hindrances is hurry. Slow down. Breathe. Eat.

· Hourly

· Daily

· Weekly

· Monthly

· Annually

Books on Rule of Life:

Crafting a Rule of Life: An Invitation to the Well-Ordered Way

The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction

Rule of Life Workbook (free download) - Practicing the Way

Jesus’ Rhythm of Life - Soul Shepherding