Sunday, September 30, 2018

Praying from Heaven to Earth... 
I recently came across an idea that has captured my imagination – Pray FROM Heaven TO earth rather than earth to Heaven.  Like most people I usually pray about circumstances, family, world concerns , justice and more. I present my petition from my earth-bound perspective and what often seems unsolvable “problems”. 

But! This is a Bible “but” (which I love!) – Ephesians 2.6 says, For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. (New Living Translation). Our Father God sees us already seated with Christ Jesus in the heavenlies. Colossians 3:14 hints of this same status. 

“Seated with Christ” – this was a faith “wow!” for me.  I heard a pastor preach about this text and it was suggested that we should, based on our status of being seated with Christ in the heavenlies, pray FROM Heaven TO earth. What that means for me is that I ask God what I should pray as I look upon the needs that are on my heart. Then I meditate silently and visualize God’s will in Heaven being done on earth.  This is still a new prayer practice on my part but it is giving me a sense of “effective prayer” and a type of engagement with God’s will in Heaven being done on earth. 
Most interestingly, I thought this was a novel concept for our time and place. Lo and behold, today I read a small portion of the great Puritan divine, Richard Baxter’s directions on how to pray, taken from his Christian Directory,  published in 1673, and found these words: “When you are about to pray, stir up in your souls the most earnest belief in those unseen things that your prayers refer to; and pray as if you saw them all the while–God in His glory, heaven and hell, and Jesus Christ as your Mediator in the heavens.”

Over 345 years ago Baxter was teaching people to pray “from Heaven to earth”…  another “Wow”! I invite you to experiment with this prayer practice – spend some time in meditation with Ephesians 2:6 and pray with faith filled imagination! 
Let me know what happens…


Pastor Bob Anderson

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