As I enter this week’s call to prayer I am coming off a wonderful weekend in Greenville, SC.  where Scotty Smith and I were speaking at  Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church's 40th Missions Conference.  We so enjoyed being with the amazing congregation there fellowshipping with so many friends.  Jesus led our time of repentance in the Gospel and growth in Grace!  Pastor Andy Lewis is such a fine preacher and lover of souls. 

Much of the joy of each morning was found in the private time I spent with Scotty.  We were roommates for the weekend and had a great time remembering our 32-year story, through teaching, preaching, singing, laughing, weeping and especially praying.  In that regard, I have long wanted to watch him in action as he leads so many of us in early morning devotions through his “So Very Amen” prayers.  I got an up-close view of what happens.  Let me describe the process.  Scotty is up with his coffee at 4:00 am.  A bit early for me, but plenty of great coffee got me there too.  He has been in this habit for as long as I have known him.  After brewing the bean, he spends roughly half an hour just meeting with the Lord.  He plays soft instrumental background music from artists like Phil Keaggy and David Hampton, and simply listens to Jesus.  After a while he begins employing the surroundings, i.e., what time of year is it?, what cultural or current events are going on? what is his Grandson Finn doing? , etc. His next step is to pick the scripture.  The Word of God opens to him as all the variables converge.  Then he simply sits at the computer and prays.  He composes the email as he prays the Gospel through the Bible verse and sends it when he is done.  The devotion time takes about an hour and a half and is full of sheer Gospel energy.  Watching it as well as learning it has been profound. 

Not everyone can do this I know.  Many work nights or odd shifts, have children, are tired from vocational callings or simply need rest.  At the same time no matter when we meet with the Lord,  some of us are learning to pray the Gospel through the Word of God and I can say that our Pastor for Preaching, Teaching and Worship is demonstrating that for all of us to see.  He isn’t telling us what to do, he is showing us how to do it!  There is a big difference.  You can find these prayers each day by going to our web site locating Scotty’s mug shot and then following the trail to his blog.

My point this week is that we can all practice praying the Gospel through the Word of God.  We don’t have to have it perfect, we just need to start.  My hope is that you, like me, will stretch out and pray boldly in the name of Jesus for what He wants to do with us, here at C3 and around the world.  Stay in the Lord’s prayer as your scripture this week (Luke C11 V1-13) and pray for Sunday as I take us through Daniel’s prayer (Dan C2 V18 ff) showing how similar it is to Jesus’ prayer.

Know this, I am praying for you that the riches of God’s Kingdom would be real to you today and throughout your life.  Let’s keep asking with the Disciples, “Lord, teach us to pray”.