CHAPTER FIVE
HOW TO ENJOY GOD IN PRAYER
Scripture Reading: Psa. 42:1-2; 27:4; 62:1; 104:34; 145:5; 29:2; 150:1; Gen. 18:22, 33
In this chapter and the next we will consider how we can enjoy God through prayer and reading the Word. Prayer and reading the Word are the most crucial means to receive and enjoy God.
Although prayer and reading the Word are quite common among us, there are many details to consider. Many people pray, but they do not know the meaning of prayer. Similarly, many people read the Bible, but they do not know the significance of reading the Word. The more common a practice is, the more science there is to it. We should never think that as soon as one becomes a Christian, he automatically knows how to pray and read the Word. It is not that simple. If a Christian truly touches the key to prayer and reading the Word, he is on his way to enjoying God daily. Let us now consider how to enjoy God through prayer.
PRAYER BEING TO BREATHE IN GOD
Prayer is not mainly a matter of coming to God to ask for something. The meaning of prayer is not to ask God to do something for us. The primary significance of prayer is to breathe in God, to absorb God. When we pray, we should not have a motive or intention of asking God to do something for us; rather, our intention should be to breathe in God and absorb Him. Regrettably, many Christians misunderstand the meaning of prayer. They think that we need to pray to God in order to ask for help because there are things that we cannot do. Let me say strongly, this is not prayer. Real prayer has nothing to do with asking God for help.
Simply put, prayer is our spiritual breathing. We all know what it is to breathe. When we breathe out, we exhale the carbon dioxide that is within us. When we breathe in, we inhale the oxygen that is outside of us. This is what happens when we breathe in and breathe out. In prayer we do the same thing—we breathe out what is within us, and we breathe in what is in God. Everything that we have in our natural being can be compared to carbon dioxide, and everything that God is can be compared to oxygen. When we pray, we breathe out everything undesirable, and we breathe in everything of God.
Recently, we found a good hymn on prayer (Hymns, #255). This hymn says that when we come to God, we breathe out ourselves and everything we have, and we breathe in God and everything He has. By this breathing in and out, we are delivered from ourselves and are put into God. This kind of breathing discharges what is within us and brings in everything of God. When we breathe out, our sins are exhaled, and when we breathe in, God’s holiness is inhaled. By breathing out, we rid ourselves of weakness. By breathing in, we take in God’s power. We may be full of sorrow and grief, but as soon as we come to God and breathe out, the sorrow and grief are gone. After breathing out, we must breathe in. When we breathe in, God’s joy and comfort enter into us. This is the meaning of prayer. Prayer is to breathe in God, just as we breathe in air. Whenever we pray, we breathe in God. Prayer is our spiritual breathing before God and in God. Even though we often do not know what to say when we wait on God, there is a sighing within us. This sighing can be compared to breathing. Our experience shows that when we sigh a little, the weight on our shoulders disappears. We are fully released and rested, and we overflow with a sense of sweetness. We may often find ourselves sinking into darkness and confusion within, not knowing which path we should take, what we should do, or even how we should pray. But while we wait on the Lord, we utter a sigh from deep in our being. It is interesting that after sighing for a while, the darkness and confusion vanish, and we become clear and uncluttered, knowing the way to proceed. This wonderful experience is the meaning of prayer. Real prayer is nothing but waiting on God and breathing in God. When we breathe, we exhale everything that we are and inhale everything that God is.
Let us now consider ten points to illustrate how we breathe in God through prayer.