Selah2020: Pause and Reflect

[Transcript of “A 5 minute cuppa” published by Horley Baptist Church on YouTube^[1], March 2021]

Hi everyone, welcome to ‘a five minute cuppa’. This is the place that you can come any time of day just for five minutes, to relax, put your feet up, have a cuppa and listen to a few words to help you grow in your relationship with God.

In the last five minute cuppa we were thinking about how we develop two-way communication with our heavenly Father in our secret place; how we can talk to him, ask Him questions and then leave space to see what He has to say to us. I wonder how you’re getting on with that two-way conversation.

I’m sure some of you have been excited to find that you’ve heard His still small voice speaking through words images and scriptures in in a way that makes you realize how deeply he knows you and the situations you face. Equally, I’m sure others of you are struggling to hear Him; you feel your mind wandering when you try to spend time with Him alone and it feels like your prayers are just words that don’t really go anywhere. If that’s you don’t worry. I’ve been there and many others before you. It’s okay, there will be a way through for you and it might not be some super spiritual solution you were lacking. Remember that you can and have heard God speaking to you. If the Holy Spirit hadn’t have drawn you to Jesus you wouldn’t be in any kind of relationship with Him now and and wouldn’t be listening to this reflection even.

Sometimes though, to move on you just need to find some very practical ways forward that you just practice until they become second nature, almost like breathing. Today in our five-minute cuppa and next week I’m just going to share a couple of practical things that have really helped me develop that ongoing two-way communication with Jesus.

For a few years now I’ve been using a prayer diary; just a book with blank pages that I keep by my bed or prayer chair and where I record my thoughts and questions and the responses from God. As you get older, if you’re anything like me, you probably forget half the things that are said to you or that you’ve experienced, even those things that have affected you deeply at the time. One of the advantages of keeping a prayer journal is that you can look back at the communication you have had with God and remember what He has done and how He’s been working through your timeline; the times He has shown His light in dark places, where He’s answered prayers, how He answered prayers, the promises He has given you, the people who have walked alongside you and fed Godly wisdom into your life.

If you’re not used to journaling then I would encourage you to give it a go. If you’re not a great writer that’s okay. I don’t just write in my journal, sometimes I draw pictures or images, sometimes just the things that the Holy Spirit has spoken to me about in a book that I’ve read, sometimes just the name of a speaker or a website or podcast that I’ve come across where I’ve felt my spirit and and God’s spirit meet in agreement.

Something I did really early in my prayer journaling life is to draw prayer mind maps. You might like to have a go if you’re the kind of person who struggles to focus. Prayer mind maps help you to think about and pray into a situation that is on your mind and heart. In the middle of the page write the name of the person or the situation in a cloud bubble then moving out from the bubble draw a series of arrows leading to images or words or phrases that God gives you as you think about that person. Thinking is just a form of prayer. You might write down in one place what you are seeing in that situation or why you are worried, in another place you might ask God to shine His light on the situation and show you what’s really going on and in another place how God sees the situation and what He wants to do. Mind maps help you to pause and listen to God rather than launching straight into what you think is the solution. They help as a reminder to keep praying into the situation or the life of the person, they also act as a real encouragement as over time you see God’s strong all-knowing hand at work in situations all around you.

If you haven’t used a prayer journal before or for a while, why not buy one on your trip to the shop this week and and have a go at prayer mind mapping. Next week our practical communication tip will will take us a bit further and deeper as we think about what we can do with the information that God speaks to us about. I hope you can join me then for another five minute cup

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.

[Transcript of “A 5 minute cuppa” published by Horley Baptist Church on YouTube^[1], February 2021]

Hi everyone, welcome to ‘a five minute cuppa’. This is the place that you can come any time of day, just for five minutes, to relax, put your feet up, have a cuppa and listen to a few words to help you grow in your relationship with God.

Years ago I had a friend who I’d meet up with for a cuppa and a chat. This friend personified warmth and joy and always did me good. I remember during our conversation he would often slip in what seemed like a simple question: “How are you and Jesus doing?” The question always flummoxed me and although I’d politely say “We’re doing okay, thanks”, if I ever let myself reflect honestly on that seemingly simple question I had to admit that Jesus and me were more like casual acquaintances rather than the close friends that the worship songs and sermons spoke of in the church services I attended.

Sometimes we think it’s dishonouring to God to express doubts or fears or show our weaknesses. This can lead to the pretending we are so familiar with when we do church.

You know, I think Jesus breathes a huge sigh of relief when we’re finally honest with ourselves and with Him; when we cry out “Lord, there must be more than this”. Wanting our faith and relationship with Jesus to be different, expressing our dissatisfaction with the way things are is not necessarily a bad thing. Jesus likes raw honesty. That’s the place we come face to face with Him; it’s often the catalyst that marks the change we’re looking for. I thought I’d share a couple of times that this has happened for me.

One time I had a strong awareness that I just couldn’t shake, that I was living my life a bit like the disciples but in the days before Jesus died on the cross and came back to life again. I knew about Jesus but not his life-changing power. Our thoughts kept coming back to the disciple Peter who, despite his good intentions, deserted Jesus in his final hours because he was so afraid. Contrast that with the Peter who after the resurrection of Jesus showed so much courage to speak out to thousands about the life-changing relationship he had found even though this put his life in danger; the Peter who would walk by crowds of people and where those who were sick would be instantly healed when Peter’s shadow touched them. My simple prayer was, “Do for me what you did for the disciple Peter”.

Another time I was dissatisfied with my prayer life, realizing it was built on ‘should do’s and habit. My honest heartfelt prayer was similar to that of the disciples: “Lord teach me how to pray! I’m pretty good at asking for help in a crisis or asking for help with important decisions but I don’t know how to hear You speak to help me”.

I know that Jesus is okay with us expressing dissatisfaction when we turn to him and asking for a change because I’ve experienced it first-hand. Hundreds of timely God-instances that have brought about a miracle in my life.

I have another friend now who I meet up with for a couple in a chat; she often asks the same question: “How are you and Jesus doing?” The question doesn’t flummox me anymore because now I don’t just believe in Jesus but I know Him, I speak to him every day and I’ve finally learnt to give him space to speak back.

I’ve got my cuppa; can I ask you a question? How are you and Jesus doing?

Bible quotations: Unless otherwise specified, quotations are taken from the resources of Bible Gateway or Bible Hub, in accordance with the licencing conditions outlined on our Site Policies page.

Bible dates: Where appropriate, the dates given for Biblical events are based on the Bible Timeline resource
and are subject to the constraints defined on the corresponding webpage.