Be With Me: Experiencing Jesus in Prayer

An Intentional Journey to Deepen Your Relationship with the Divine

Week 10: Be With Me - Contending for Leadership

Preparation:

Song: “Take My Life” by Chris Tomlin

Take my life and let it be consecrated to Thee
Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise. Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing always, only for my King. Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee. Take my silver and my gold, not a might would I withhold. Take my intellect and use every power as You choose.

Chorus: Here am I, all of me, take my life, it's all for Thee.

Take my will and make it Thine, it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is Thine own, it shall be Thy royal throne. Take my love, my Lord I pour at Your feet, it's treasure store. Take myself and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.

Chorus repeats 
(Take my life, Lord, take my life, take all of me.)  Here am I, all of me, take my life, it's all for Thee.

Scripture: Proverbs 3


Personal Practice:

Breath Prayer: Breath Prayer can refocus us with clarity. It can remind us that we are dependent on God for our very breath. It centers us as we intentionally seek guidance in critical moments. This week try to utter intentional breath prayers – perhaps before every meeting you have, before you enter the door of your office, during a workout. 

The practice itself is relatively simple: breathe in and recall a biblical name of God, breathe out a simple desire. “Come Holy Spirit, Come” or “God of Light, Guide me.” “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me a sinner.”


Group Prayer:

Practice the Welcoming Prayer: “Welcoming Prayer is a way to detach from my need to be secure, liked and in control, and attach to the presence of Jesus instead.”  (Calhoun) What a radically different approach to leadership than what the world offers! Participates quietly sit and notice their bodies – any tension, numbness or pain. Leader welcomes & acknowledges the presence of Jesus in the midst. Leader then prays each statement with a brief pause after each to allow participants to internally offer their surrender to God.

  1. We release our need to please people (today/in this situation). Welcome Jesus, Welcome.
  2. We release our desire for security. Welcome Jesus, Welcome.
  3. We release our need to control this situation. Welcome Jesus, Welcome.
  4. We receive what is. We let go of our desire to change reality. Welcome Jesus, Welcome.

Download this resource here: BWM Week 10.pdf


 

Created by Beth Paz. The selections of multicultural worship are an invitation to remember the global nature of God in our prayers.

Photos courtesy of UNsplash.com. Spiritual Disciplines courtesy of “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook” by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, IVPress.