Spiritual Formation: Technology and Intercessory Prayer

How many times this week have you told someone that you would pray for them? Maybe it was a Facebook message, a passing conversation, or a telephone call in which someone stammered out a painful problem or stressful situation. Regardless of the situation, I often catch myself replying, thank you for telling me - I'll pray for you. And do you know what happens next? I either pray for them, or shamefully, I forget. My intentions are good, but my harried pace doesn't always lead to remembering things well, even my prayer list. 

I don't want prayer to become a meaningless reply that I use when I don't know what else to say. 

I don't want to use the topic of prayer to end a conversation that I'm trying to hurry out of. I don't want prayer to become something that I say because I don't know what else to say or because the conversation is heading in a difficult direction.  I want to mean it when I tell someone I'll pray for them. 

Whenever it's appropriate, I stop what I'm doing and pray right then and there. The words, "May I pray for you right now?" are surprisingly powerful. Those words alone can soften hearts and words and needs. If I don't know what to pray? Well, I just say that in my prayer, because the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don't know what to pray. Usually, the person in need just tells me and that's how I direct my prayers. 

If it's not appropriate to pray at that time, I make myself a note. An Evernote, to be exact. I use my iPad for everything, so it isn't crazy for me to use it for my prayer list. I keep an extended prayer list on my iPad using the Evernote App. This app is a gem for organizing your life - you can create individual notebooks (ie personal, sermon ideas, song ideas, worship planning by month, etc). And then create individual notes in each notebook. 

I have one single note for my prayer list, and I have it divided up into 4 sections: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication (otherwise known as the ACTS method). Often, I'll come up with an idea for the adoration section during my Bible reading time, from a story I heard, or just from my own daily life. I write it down, and read through it every time I pray (It's getting rather long!) and it helps me focus on the attributes of God and the blessings of God. In the Thanksgiving section, I write down answers to prayer, blessings - anything big or small. Sometimes I'll add dates. It helps me remember all the prayers God has answered, and all the times He has been faithful in difficult situations. And I make sure to thank Him as I read through the list. Then, of course, we have Confession. It's not easy to write down the ways that I sin, but I try to name and seek forgiveness for the things that I do wrong - this section is the smallest, but some of that is because I seem to miss the mark on the same things over and over again. And lastly, we have supplication. This is by far, the largest section. Here is where I write down all of the prayer needs that I have heard or seen or received. And I pray for them as I read over the list. When the prayer is answered, I move it to Thanksgiving. Otherwise, it stays on the list until it's 'expired!' My iPad is always with me, so I can jot down a prayer request at any time. 

If you don't use the Evernote app, any note taking app will do. In fact, if you have a recent iPhone, you can tell my BFF Siri to create a new note - and then tell him/her what you would like to have written down in this new note. You can add alarms and reminders so that you don't forget to pray and add this request to your regular list. 

Does it seem like this technology takes the mystery away? For me, it allows me to be more consistent when I intend to pray for others, and it also helps me see how God has answered or is answering those prayers. And this fuels me to pray all the more, when I see how my prayer time can make a difference in someone else's life. It also helps me remember to check up on those who I'm praying for. It means so much more when I remind someone that I'm praying for them and ask for an update so I can continue to pray. 

I want to be faithful to my words, especially when I say that I will pray for someone in need. The Bible says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective; if I'm not praying, then I am failing to show love to the person who truly needs it. What techniques do you use to stay on top of your prayer list? 

Distracted? Declutter!

Clutter is distracting. 

When my home looks cluttered, I find myself thinking of all the things I need to do, all the items that need to be put away, all the work that needs to be completed. It makes me stressed. For me, a de-cluttered space is a peaceful space. I rest easier at night when the dishes are put away, the toys are picked up, and the floor is swept. I have an especially hard time concentrating on reading the Bible if I sit in a cluttered room. It’s also hard for me to be musically creative or to practice well when there are piles of mail and homework sitting around my piano. I feel hectic and hurried when my schedule is cluttered, too.

 I feel the same way about our worship spaces.

Modern worship spaces have a natural tendency to look cluttered due to the nature of the equipment.  Imagine how clean your worship platform would be if you didn’t need cables, music stands, monitors, amps, instrument stands, and other items. How clean and fresh would your space look if all you had were people and their instruments?

Not all ministry budgets have the space for wireless mics and in-ear monitors, and that’s ok! But when I set up my gear for Sunday morning, I try to pause for just a minute and think about the visual use of the space. Can I organize the cables a little more neatly? Can I make that mic stand a little less obtrusive? Can we tweak the platform arrangement for a more open feeling?

Our worship services tend to be aurally focused – that is, we are focused on what we hear, such as music, sermons, Scripture reading. But statistically, 65% of the general population are visual learners. So how can we make our visual space for our worship services more supportive of, rather than distracting from, what we are hearing? Removing the visual clutter, without creating a completely stark, empty space, is a great step towards removing distractions that get in the way of communing with each other and with our Creator.