Centered
Prayer
Be still, and know that I am
God; Psalm 46:10
Today I talked with a friend about
“Centered Prayer”. She
expressed her desire to learn more about it but was uncertain about
what it is and how to practice this form of prayer. Just last month
some friends and I gathered for an evening of “Centered Prayer”.
You might ask what's up with that? What is “Centered Prayer” and
why would you want to do it?
The roots of “Centered Prayer”
can be traced back to the early beginnings of the Christian church.
It's a spiritual discipline that focuses
our hearts on Christ. In the business of life, Centered Prayer is a
form of “just being” not doing!
Being silent in the presence of God; quite difficult for people whose
schedules are filled with many activities.
Our common desire is
to be led by the Holy Spirit into the presence of God. The
promise of scripture is that “Where two or three come
together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew
18:20 Framed by worship and listening to God's word we seek
the presence of God. (music for me reaches the deepest part of
my being)
In the quietness of our hearts we
yield to His love. The Divine invites us into fellowship with Him!
Amazing! Amazing love!
As the deer pant for water,
so my soul longs after you O God. Psalm 42:1
Centered Prayer is about being
drawn into a deeper level of communion with God; deeper then our
mind, emotions, and our will, it touches our soul. The place where
God Himself lives in us.
In Centered Prayer you engage your
mind with Christ. It is not about “stop thinking or feeling,” it
is about focusing on Christ. Some people repeat a word or phrase to
dialog with Jesus. Others may focus on God's attributes or name
revealed in scripture (Redeemer, Savior, Shepard, Abba, Father)
Centering Prayer is ultimately
about the center of our life - Jesus! If He is not the center of our
worship, life, purpose, prayer, and being then we are off center!
Most of the time my experience
with Centered Prayer is not highly emotional or revealing. One thing
I noticed about my life is that overall it gained a steadiness and
peace; I am more grounded. It's like a calm river running through my
life. Centering prayer can be part of your daily quiet time with God
or experienced as a group.
Enjoy an unhurried time with God!
Let the Holy Spirit lead you.
For more information:
maria.allewelt@gmail.com
