Any tips on how I cant make prayer more fun? thanks for any tips you have!
This is part of a study on a journey in prayer as a Love relationship with God, its still a work in progress.
The Way of the Lord revealed in His creation:
"The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made."
"There are three things which are too wonderful for me, yes four which I can't attain to: the way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent up a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maiden."
The way of an eagle in the air: exerting strength to reach the updraft and soar effortlessly on rising air currents. "They that wait on the Lord shall renew strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
When fledglings learn to fly, some won't learn at once to exert their wings to reach the updraft and end up left on the ground to fend for themselves until willing to learn. Identified with creature comfort, we will not soar with Him, but having had a taste as brief as it was won't be forgotten. We experience this from time to time in worship, but until we learn obedience of faith, we lose direction of the up-draft and end up back on the ground to "Run and not be weary" of those desiring to be in charge, and to "walk and not faint," from troubles and fears. One such eaglet like me, who would not learn at once, was found by a farmer and nurtured in his chicken coop for a while; eventually the memory of soaring overtook the nurture of comfort zone and disappeared to destiny.
One out of two fledgling eaglets will not survive the first year. "Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left."
1 out of 2 Christian leaders who were tortured for their faith in Russia and China, Japan and Korea... gave in to the government to be restored as puppet leaders of the government approved church and not permitted to evangelize. The ones remaining in prison fulfilling their calling? "Tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection... God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." These cause revival to spread, even mention of them stirs admiration of the Holy Spirit in us. “I know your suffering and your poverty but you are rich. I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are of God, but are not, their house belongs to the enemy. Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The accuser will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. Be faithful when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches. Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death.”
The way of a snake up a rock: to become one with the rock, climbing by making a vacuum with belly against the rock; avoiding sand and dirt that would break the seal and cause its downfall. "I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: you therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."
One with "The Rock that is higher than I." The influence of His Spirit to "Flee youthful lusts that war against the soul. To seek God in our heart and continually return to Him, avoiding slippery places of controlling desire, "Wise as serpents.” Avoiding pride of achievement: not to be blinded by self-sufficiency and resist the operations of Grace, to suffer all things with a single eye to please Him, "Harmless as doves." Neglect of Interior Life is not remaining in Him who Is the Life of the vine, the source of Grace and God of all comfort.
"You shall seek Me, and find, when you shall search for Me with all your heart."
The way of a ship in the midst of the sea: there is always a way with the wind; when winds are contrary we progress by tacking into the wind. "All things work together for good to them that Love God, who are called to His purpose."
Every journey has its beginning, progress and fulfillment; beginning in prayer is labor until we enter into rest in God. Leaving creature entanglements, cords loosed to push off from old port and clear harbor and put to sea. We proceed to the interior, the kingdom of heaven within under the rule of His Spirit. Spreading sails: laid bare in prayer to expose areas of our heart held back and yield our whole heart to be caught up to God in the wind of the Spirit. Leaving familiar land behind, in the wind of the open sea, proceed so swiftly that oars are useless and laid aside, prayer becomes effortless. We rest from our labor and glide rapidly along without toil and make more Way in one hour than a day rowing on our efforts. The comparison of His Spirit is much greater so that in one day yielding to His Spirit, we grow more than a year on our own efforts. "For a day in Your courts, is better than a thousand elsewhere." Thankful for what we have in relationship with God, the Way advances us inwardly in a short time, further than a life spent in acts of self-exertion. The less striving wasted in vain pursuits, the further we advance effortlessly, "Strive to enter His rest."
The way of a man with a maiden: Love is its own reward, a new relationship effortlessly drawn to learn to love, motivating the relationship to develop of its own accord: to cease from ourselves and find rest in the beloved. To see the Lord God as beloved like in the first year of marriage, not to wonderful for us in the first year but we can't attain to remain, but by the Holy Spirit. "Husbands Love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for Her... He that loves his wife loves himself... "This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." Not disquiet when caught up in trouble of relationship, since He is with us in trouble and we can’t without Him put away our divided spirit that interrupted God. "Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble." The novelty of the first year of marriage gone, having left our first Love the relationship becomes work. We are in trouble when carried emotionally by woman; we long to give ourselves in relationship, to love and be loved intimately, but until Christ in us is our first Love, we will not be united as one. Adversity works for good, as we turn to the Lord to learn of Him in humility that to become one is no longer about me. When trying to achieve to impress we don't Love as God Loves. "It remains, that both they that have wives be as though they have none." To cease planning and wishing with imagination, to enter His House in a journey of discovery we can’t imagine; having agreement more wonderful than we could dream, over time becomes habitual presence of God. "His mercies are new every morning, great is your faithfulness."
