He Speaks! Praying His Word: Praying His Word, #2

By John Wile

We want to hear God.  We need to hear God.  Thankfully, God speaks to us.  He speaks in many ways, but especially through his written Word.  It's the one place that we can count on hearing from him.  These prayers have been created that we might listen to him and talk to him with a particular emphasis on the gift that he does speak through his Word and the many wonderful things that he accomplishes through his Word.   Each prayer is a response to something God has revealed in his Word, about his Word.

 

This prayer book is unusual.  If you've used a devotional, you know that, normally, we read it and we're done.   Our hearts may or may not connect with what we've read.  But these 31 prayers are not designed for passive reading.   There are four parts each day: (1) a selected passage of Scripture, (2) a short comment that helps to understand and appreciate what the passage is saying, (3) a reflective question that causes a person to stop and think, (4) a prayer which incorporates whatever the reflective question unearthed.

 

The reflective question that makes all the difference.  That's where the Holy Spirit works.  He takes that passage of the Word of God and begins to move in our hearts.   Then as we ask ourselves the reflective question with an attitude of openness to the Holy Spirit's promptings, we discover a more honest awareness of our own hearts, its needs, its desires.  We see more clearly into the character and goodness of God.  And then, by the work of the Spirit with the Word, we find ourselves wrapped into a richer appreciation of God himself and his care for us.

 

This is volume 2 in a growing list of "31 day prayer books" from the series "Praying His Word."  

1. Joy!  Praying His Word
2. He Speaks!  Praying His Word
3. Hope!  Praying His Word
4. Father, Son & Spirit!  Praying His Word

 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HOLOFO productions
• Release date: May 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781393608806

John Wile

John Wile is recently retired from Barnabas International where, for several decades, together with his wife, Kathryn, as a pastoral team, they served cross-cultural workers in multiple countries around the world.  Prior to serving with Barnabas International, John was pastor of congregations in Wisconsin and Minnesota.  Recently John has been part of a team creating equipping curriculum for Shepherd’s Apprentice, a ministry of Barnabas International.  He has also been helping to produce discipleship material for the family ministry in their local congregation.  Their family includes two adult children, a daughter-in-law and an ever delightful granddaughter.

Book preview

Day 1:  Genesis 1:3

And God said, Let there be light,

and there was light.

Comment

In our first glimpse of God, he is moving in powerful action.  Not with bulging biceps or magical incantations or frenetic activity - but with words.  He speaks and that, which was not, now is.  Moments before light did not exist.  Now it glows.  Stars, fish, vegetables, cows, people – none of them existed until he spoke.  Now they shine, swim, grow, graze, breathe - because he spoke.  His voice brought into being all that is.  Everything we see and everything we are owes its existence to the words of God. 

Reflective Questions

(1) What is one of  your favorite things in God’s creation?  (2) What is one of your favorite promises in the Bible?  (3) What is one of your favorite pieces of music?

Prayer of the Word

Oh LORD God, your words yield ongoing miracles of creation.  When I think of (your response to reflective question #1 goes here) I tremble at the thought that this only exists because you spoke.  When I think of that promise (your response to reflective question #2 goes here) I am awed that the promise exists because you spoke it and it will be fulfilled because your word is so strong.  When I think of that piece of music (your response to reflective question #3 goes here) I am filled with joy that through your words you made music possible, possible to be played, to be sung... and to be heard.  If you had not spoken there would be nothing... nothing. Thank you for speaking.