21 Days of Prayer

21 Days of Wonder

This year, our focus is WONDER, which comes from Luke 11:33-36. From the message translation we read;

If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don’t get musty and murky. Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room.

Our definition of wonder comes from Eugene Peterson who says wonder is "that astonished willingness to stop what we are doing, to stand still, open-eyed and open-handed, ready to take in what is ‘more and other’”.

Watch the videos below for each week's theme and focus. 

Download Prayer Guide

WEEK 1:  Wonder


Week 1 Practices


DAILY


1. Lectio Divina: 

Slowly & prayerfully read through Psalm 111. You could divide it up over 5 days or read the whole Psalm each day. 

2. Prayer of Gratitude: 

Daily take time to pray through the prayer of gratitude found in your weekly email. We would encourage you to pray this prayer just as or soon after you wake up in the morning.


Gratitude Prayer:

Holy Spirit, as I breathe You in, I am so grateful for Your life and love in my lungs. 

Father; as I become aware of the ground beneath my body holding me up, I give thanks for my life and all the goodness You give and are towards me.

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name." (Psalm 100:4)

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

Father, grace me to be Your life and love in the situations and to the people you have laid before me today.

In Jesus name, Amen.


WEEKLY


3. Give a Gift of Gratitude: 

Once we’ve cultivated gratitude in our hearts, we must share it with others. Give a loved one a gift of gratitude. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, just a simple gift that communicates how thankful you are for their friendship and love.

WEEK 2: Curiosity


We are continuing our theme of living in wide-eyed wonder and this week we are looking at the practice of curiosity. Curiosity cultivates wonder. It is a way of seeing and interacting with our world.

 In John Chapter 1 we are introduced to two of Jesus’ disciples who with a sense of courageous curiosity start following Jesus down the road. The first thing Jesus says to these two disciples is in the form of a question, "What do you want?". The disciples reply by asking another question, "where are you staying?".To that question, Jesus invites the disciples into a deeper sense of wonder and curiosity, "Come and See". Jesus's response helps us to see the importance of curiosity in the life of a disciple.

Week 2 Practices


DAILY


1. Lectio Divina: 

We are going to engage in scripture as a source of transforming wonder. Each day, slowly & prayerfully read through Mark 8:27 - 9:13. Pay attention to the questions that Jesus asks and how the disciples and other people in these stories are responding to what is happening. Are they curious or are they reacting out of their assumptions?

2. Prayer of Examen:

Spend 5 mins at the end of the day being curious about where God was, and how you responded to the challenges in your day. There are five questions to ask which are in your email for this week.

  • Gratefully review your day. Where and when did you encounter God's presence breaking in (love, joy, hope and peace)? What has troubled me today? What has challenged me today
  • Recall any troubles or challenges and invite God's revelation of their cause.
  • Ask for forgiveness, healing & wholeness for where you have been unlike Jesus or been treated unkindly
  • Celebrate times when Jesus' likeness has flowed through you
  • Expectantly look towards tomorrow, resting in Jesus' transforming grace


WEEKLY


3. Find a Story:

Connect with someone in your life that you want to know at a deeper level. Ask about how they grew up. Become curious about the earlier chapters of their life. Ask open-ended questions that extend the conversation (e.g. “What was that like for you?”).


BONUS PRACTICES:


Habit Stacking

Habit-stacking is the practice of adding a new habit onto something you already do habitually.

As you walk or drive to work, pay attention to what you are feeling or thinking. Become curious about your emotions and thoughts. Ask the Holy Spirit what He is saying about what you are feeling or thinking.

At the dinner table, ask one another about what was difficult or what was delightful today. Practice curiosity and compassion by listening attentively.

WEEK 3: Witness


Welcome to week 3, our last week, of our 21 days of prayer. We trust by now as you've been engaging in these practices that your eyes have been further opened to wonder in your life. 

This week, we’re going to lean into what it looks like to move from Wonder to Witness. Since the moment of creation God’s purpose, especially for those in relationship with Him has been to bear witness to who he is and what he is like! To be a signpost to the world who does not yet know Him that there is a God in heaven who created them knows them, and is waiting to welcome them back into relationship with him!

Week 3 Practices


DAILY


1. Lectio Divina: 

We are going to engage in scripture as a source of transforming wonder. Choose one or more of these scriptures;

  • John 4 - Woman at the well
  • Luke 19 - Jesus & Zacchaeus 
  • Luke 7 - Jesus raising the widow’s son
  • John 19 - Jesus making provision for His mother
As you read through these accounts, consider;
  • How Jesus was meeting these people right where they were at - how was He acknowledging their human experience? How was He placing value on or giving dignity to their stories and lives?
  • What does this kind of love mean for me? How is Jesus wanting to meet me right where I am at? How is He wanting to acknowledge my human experience, and place value and dignity on my story and life?
  • What does this kind of love mean through me? How might Jesus want to meet others right where they’re at through me? How is He wanting to acknowledge their human experience, and place value and dignity on their story and life through me?


WEEKLY


2. Be a witness:

Pray and ask God to show you a person in your life - a family member, friend, neighbour, work colleague, someone in community here, someone at school or uni - a person who God wants to demonstrate through you - that their life is seen, that’s it’s important & valuable.

Ask God how you could respond to what he shows you - prayer, a conversation, giving a gift, or some other way God shows you.