14 Days of Prayer Devotional: Day 6

GOOD MORNING KAC! ⁣

Welcome to Day 6 of our devotional series, 14 Days of Prayer: Pursuing the God of Peace! We look forward to journeying together through this prayer devotional.

Watch the video below, then follow these prayer prompts:

• Read the following Psalm and thank God that He is entirely present with you.⁣
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  Psalm 139: 7-10 ⁣
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  I can never escape from your Spirit!⁣
  I can never get away from your presence!⁣
  If I go up to heaven, you are there;⁣
  if I go down to the grave, you are there.⁣
  If I ride the wings of the morning,⁣
  if I dwell by the farthest oceans,⁣
  even there your hand will guide me,⁣
  and your strength will support me.⁣
  
  
• Sometimes Christians get a little weirded out when they consider using their imaginations for holy purposes. And yet, these are the very same imaginations God created us with, to use for making music and poetry and art and building bridges and growing food. God will make His presence known to us using the very imaginations He equipped us with. ⁣
  
  
• I want to introduce you to a part of a prayer called the Breastplate Prayer. This ancient prayer is attributed to St. Patrick – regardless of its origins, it can lead us into a beautiful time with God and practicing presence. This is only one excerpt of the prayer. ⁣
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  Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,⁣
  Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,⁣
  Christ on my right, Christ on my left,⁣
  Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise,⁣
  Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,⁣
  Christ in the mouth of every one who speaks to me,⁣
  Christ in every eye that sees me,⁣
  Christ in every ear that hears me.⁣
  Salvation is of the Lord.⁣
  Salvation is of the Christ.⁣
  May your salvation, Lord, be ever with us.⁣
  
  
• After reading through the prayer, I encourage you to sit quietly for a few minutes. Take each phrase of the prayer and imagine in your mind’s eye the very picture of the prayer.⁣
  
  
• What it would it look like if Christ was with you? Where would you be? What would you be doing? Walking on a beach? Sitting in a team meeting? Watching a movie together? Conversing in a coffee shop? How do you feel having Christ with you?⁣
  
  
• Move on to the next picture in your mind – Christ before you. He’s walking out in front. You are in His wake. He’s deflecting a harsh word. Holding up a sword to ward off an enemy. The driving storm hits Him first and you are protected by being behind Him. What else happens (or doesn’t happen) when Christ is before you?⁣
  
  
• Move on to Christ behind you – He’s bringing up the rear. He’s got your back. How confidently can you walk into that difficult conversation knowing He’s got your back? How bold can you be if Christ is behind you? Who might He be protecting you from when He’s at your back? Does He lean forward and whisper wisdom or comfort or affirmation into your ear? Does He put his hand quietly on your shoulder to remind you He is there?⁣
  
  
• Spend as much time in this exercise as you want. Do it more than once. Journal your experiences. Sit in solitude and enjoy the presence of Christ. I pray it deepens your connection with God your Father, Jesus your Friend, and the Spirit–your Comforter. And may this practicing the Presence of God dispel your sense of isolation in these unprecedented times.⁣