After feeding a crowd of 5000+, Jesus sent his disciples to the other side of the lake and went to a nearby mountain for a time of prayer (Matthew 14.22-23).
Most of us recognize that if something’s good enough for Jesus, it ought to be good enough for us. The problem we have with spending an extended length of time in prayer is we just don’t know how to go about it.
Here’s a suggested way of using the Bible and prayer to meet with God. It has been a tried and true method for centuries.
(1) Preparation:
If you can find a quiet space where you can settle yourself comfortably, that will be a good beginning to your time with the Lord.
Begin by praying a short prayer asking God to help you be open to him through your time of reading the Bible.
(2) Reading:
My method is to read one chapter of the Bible from different portions of the Bible. You will find what fits best for you.
I recommend is that you read consecutively, one chapter after another, or several verses after another. That way, you get the complete message that God wants you to have through the Bible.
This way is different from searching for a particular verse that might zing you or be one of your favorites.
If you are reading a short passage, you may try reading it four times, each time with a slightly different focus.
No matter how you read the passage, focus on attentively listening to God’s message for you and allowing it to sink in.
(3) Meditation:
I usually read the Bible with a cup of coffee in my hand. When I’ve finished reading the passage, the coffee is finished also.
I put down my coffee and my Bible, lean back in my chair, close my eyes, and think about what I have read. Frequently, I combine thinking with prayer, asking God to show me what He has for me.
No matter how you approach meditating on the Word, get it into your heart. Ask God what he is trying to teach you and how his message relates to your life.
(4) Prayer:
You will want to talk to God in response to what you read. You may find yourself praying prayers of thanksgiving, petition, or simply enjoying God’s presence.
Let the scripture guide your conversation with God.
(5) Contemplation:
You may find that this time of prayer impacts your entire day. Your mind may return to the passage you studied or a phrase that you prayed, again and again.
That is one of God’s great gifts to us — to be near us throughout the day and to draw us to a deeper relationship with him.
The Disciples in the Boat
While Jesus was in prayer, the disciples were fighting wind and waves on the sea.
Jesus came walking to them, and their reaction and his response were quite startling.
But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14.26-27).
The disciples were followers of Jesus, but they were ready to believe the ghost of a dead sailor had appeared.
Instead, something even more fantastic took place. They saw that it was Jesus who was walking to them.
When Jesus said, “It is I,” he identified himself with God’s divine name that was given to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 4.13-15).
In the ancient world, water was believed to be a god that fought against the Supreme God. Jesus both declared and demonstrated that he was above the chaos gods of the water.
When we think about our lives, not only is this a story of Jesus coming to his disciples, but a truth we can embrace with the chaos of our lives.
Jesus overcomes all chaos because of who he is. When he tells us to not be afraid, we can count on his victorious power.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 