{"id":2327,"date":"2025-03-16T08:30:04","date_gmt":"2025-03-16T12:30:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/loveopensdoors\/?p=2327"},"modified":"2025-03-17T11:42:31","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T15:42:31","slug":"the-power-of-prayer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/loveopensdoors\/2025\/03\/the-power-of-prayer\/","title":{"rendered":"Deepening Prayer: Wesley’s Wisdom and Contemplative Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

The Power of Prayer\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

I want to explore in my second post this week\u2019s prayer. I love the idea of prayer and how it connects us to something greater. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wesley on Prayer<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

John Wesley emphasized the importance of prayer in a Christian\u2019s life, stating that \u201cGod does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it.\u201d He believed that prayer should be a continual practice, reflecting a loving attitude towards God and a desire to please Him.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In his <\/span>sermon<\/span><\/a> on the Lord\u2019s prayer, Wesley offers these thoughts:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When therefore we pray, that the will of God may \u201cbe done in earth as it is in heaven,\u201d the meaning is, that all the inhabitants of the earth, even the whole race of mankind, may do the will of their Father which is in heaven, as willingly as the holy angels; that these may do it continually, even as they, without any interruption of their willing service; yea, and that they may do it perfectly, \u2014 that \u201cthe God of peace, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, may make them perfect in every good work to do his will, and work in them all \u201cwhich is well-pleasing in his sight.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In other words, we pray that we and all mankind may do the whole will of God in all things; and nothing else, not the least thing but what is the holy and acceptable will of God. We pray that we may do the whole will of God as he willeth, in the manner that pleases him: And, lastly, that we may do it because it is his will; that this may be the sole reason and ground, the whole and only motive, of whatsoever we think, or whatsoever we speak or do.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here, Wesley is challenging all humanity to obey God. Wesley is envisioning a world where every person, without exception, actively and willingly follows God\u2019s directives. When we are in constant dialogue with God, we learn to listen better to what these directives are. I will look at this more closely in the next section. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Contemplative Prayer<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

There are many types of prayer, but my exposure has been with <\/span>contemplative prayer<\/span><\/a>, which often looks like prayer, reading, mediation and contemplation.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are four spiritual aspects:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n