Tim Keller says, "We should not decide how to pray based on the experiences and feelings we want. Instead, we should do everything possible to behold our God as he is, and prayer will follow." Maybe that's why we need to build and maintain a prayer altar in our heart? We need to be there, in God's Presence, not just ‘experience’ His kingdom power, peace and prosperity.
Years ago, my view of prayer was radically changed by a little booklet entitled, My Heart, Christ’s Home. Written by Robert Boyd Munger (and still in print today), it is a visual depiction of how a relationship with Christ transforms our lives. His heartbeat became my heartbeat as I celebrated the shift in my own desires. His presence became my greatest inheritance, and divine encounters my greatest memories.
God is passionate about hallowing the name of God. But this requires our participation. It does not take any great imagination to see what happens when we live for the hallowing of God's name in our homes, workplaces, and city, such worshipping not only directs us towards our Heavenly Father, but hallowing of His name becomes the supreme goal of our ministry and the aim of every breath we take. Because the more we delight in esteeming and treasuring the attributes and character of God, the more we are delighted. And again, this delight can only be fully experienced by being in His Presence.
And the consistent testimony of those who join the fellowship of burning hearts is a sense of shalom – that for the short time of being there the normal rules are suspended, there is greater liberty and freedom and sense of well-being, and peace, knowing that we do not have to pray in any particular way to attract and hold God’s attention.
I like presence and participation and peace. Check out Awakening Florida and World Trumpet Mission. Building a prayer altar and joining the fellowship of the burning hearts is a taste of heaven on earth. But, of course, it is only a taste. What I am really longing for is the kingdom, for the feast! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
