Tag: Christian spirituality
There is a Reason it’s Called Contending!
Sometimes in the Project someone will describe the difficulties they had in praying 
the week before every day/set time/set place, and I remind them “that’s why I named the book ‘Contending for the Habit of Daily Prayer.” It is a daily battle.
When you have had to struggle for prayer or you feel you have been attacked by the enemy because of prayer, don’t be surprised! That’s contending!
Whose Door Is It Anyway?
In Matthew 6:6, the NIV says:
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door
However, the literal Greek is: “καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν σου” which is “and shutting the door of you.” Put into proper English, it translates to: “and shutting your door”
What’s the big deal?
First, I felt like the Lord reminded me to “shut the door.” In other words, don’t slide on the vision for prayer I have been promoting to others. Shutting the door means intentionally choosing to isolate myself from the outside world in order to be alone with God. Shutting the door means shutting out distractions—even important ones—and shutting myself in with God. Praying on the train, or in my car while I’m driving, or as I go throughout the day are simply no substitute for shutting myself in with God!
There’s one more thing…
It’s your door. Put another way: It’s your choice! We either make the choice to drag our flesh into the Secret Place—kicking and screaming if necessary—or we don’t. Let’s choose to do it.
This is an awesome approach to daily spirituality from Rae at “Real as the Streets”
Brace yourself! Rae is transparent and straight forward, but if you can handle that, she is also sincere. I liked this post when I saw it. So, Daily Prayer Project students check it out.
I’m not saying it replaces what we have been talking about. But, as a way of pursuing intimacy with Jesus, this can fit into your time in the Secret Place.
