Now Available on Kindle Living The Life!: Daily Reflections

On The Upper Room Discourse Re-Release For Lent 2024

Ready to Receive

“Cast your burden on the Lord,
and he will sustain you.”

Psalm 55:22 (David)

Like David, we sometimes face “giants” in our lives, and almost daily have to take on problems bigger than us.  It was in Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Discipline, that I learned how to better place my problems into God’s hands and experience His presence with me.   Foster calls this way of praying, PALMS DOWN — PALMS UP.  Foster describes the steps of praying PALMS DOWN — PALMS UP like this:

1.    “Begin by turning the palms of your hands down as a symbolic indication of your desire to turn over any concerns you may have to God.  Inwardly pray, ‘Lord, I give to you my anger toward John.  I release my fear of my dentist appointment this morning.  I surrender my anxiety over not having enough money to pay the bills this month.  I release my frustration over trying to find a baby-sitter for tonight.’  Whatever it is that weighs on your mind or is a concern to you…release it.  You may even feel a certain sense of release in your hands.”

2.    “After several moments of surrender, turn your palms up as a symbol of your desire to receive from the Lord.  Perhaps you will pray silently, ‘Lord, I would like to receive your divine love for John, your peace about my dentist appointment, your patience, your joy.’”

3.    “Having centered down, spend the remaining moments in complete silence.  Do not ask for anything.  Allow the Lord to commune with you, to love you.”

 Why not pray PALMS DOWN – PALMS UP right now.  Try praying it for a few days and watch the difference it can make.  It has in mine!

“I cast all my cares upon You,
I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet.
And any time I don’t know what to do, 
I will cast all my cares upon You.”

Kelly Willard

 A fellow traveler, 
Tim

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