Prayer | a 4-Day Skate Church Movement DevotionalSample

What is prayer?

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

My friend Andrew showed up at my door. We hadn’t seen each other for over a year, and we had only texted or talked a handful of times since then. Andrew and I go way back. We both helped start up a grassroots skate scene in Vancouver, Canada, and we have lots of good times between us! I made some food for us, and then we went outside and started walking together. Andrew and I have a friendship that feels like we are always in touch, even when we aren’t. When we meet up, we don’t even end up talking tons; we just hang out because our connection is so strong.

If you have a close friendship like this, you get it. If you don’t, I have good news for you: there is a friend who is closer than a brother or sister. (Proverbs 18:24) This friend is Jesus, and He wants you and Him to connect; it can even be as simple as breathing.

There are a lot of ways to pray, and I still have so much to learn about it. One way I’ve come to understand prayer is that it’s just like the regular act of breathing. The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to “never stop praying.” A good guide to this could be a breathe in/ breathe out motion. My friend James says that when he speaks in prayer, he really only speaks in the last half of his prayer. Speaking to God is a response to what God is already bringing to us. For example, saying, “Thank you for this awesome, sunny day!” is actually my response to a great gift already given by God.

If I sense concern for someone and I pray for them, I’m actually responding to a conviction God’s Spirit has already provided me. Sometimes I’ll find myself in unexpected trouble where all I can shout is “Jesus help me!” At this point, I gasp in a breath of faith that God is in control and will see this trouble through. If you’re trying to skate a rail but you can’t commit, that is a perfect time to go to God and ask Him to calm your nerves. No matter the situation, you are always welcome to pray–whether it’s five seconds or 15 minutes!

If your prayers feel like you are talking and talking, but you and God aren’t connecting, why not try a couple of prayer “breathing exercises” I’ve tried? Not only have these been great for me, but these exercises are also great traditions of the Church that have blessed Christians for centuries. Look them up for more details and try praying them into a regular routine.

• Consider a prayer of contemplation, like we see in Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know I am God.” Take time to rest and ask Him to speak to you in your quietness.
• Or try the “Jesus Prayer.” Early Christians would repeat to the rhythm of their breath the phrase, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

My prayer for you right now is that you would grow to know Jesus in new ways as you let Him breathe new life into your prayers. Just like my friend Andrew and I have grown to be so close, my hope is that you and the Lord will be the same.

Pushing further

1. Do you set aside time in your day to pray?
2. Have you tried to slow down and just listen to/for God?
3. What are your thoughts about trying to pray like suggested in this devotion?

Want more content like this? We adapted this Plan from a 52-week Skate Church Movement Devotional Book. Get your book at skatechurchmovement.com.