When I was in college, one of my professors gave a simple idea for us when it came to prayer. I have taken his idea and adapted it to something I use when I speak. The idea is very simple. I take two chairs and set them up on the stage, partially facing each other. I then encourage my hearers to think of prayer as if they were sitting in one seat and Jesus in the other, having a conversation.
Recently, this idea has captivated my imagination even more. Are we daring enough to sit in the chair across from Jesus and have a conversation? Sitting down with Jesus has life-changing possibilities. But sitting down with Jesus doesn’t always go as we expect.
We know life change should be expected, since that is what happened to people in the Gospels when they “sat down” to a conversation with Jesus. To take a line from a TV show, when we sit down with Jesus, we should expect the unexpected. Read again the drama of the Gospels, and you will be amazed at the potential of those moments. Speaking of drama and TV, how does conversation with Jesus compare with some of the “greats”?
Jesus is more insightful than Sherlock Holmes.
If you have read a book, watched a TV show or seen a movie about Sherlock Holmes, you might think sitting down with him would have been an interesting activity. As you arrive at 221B Baker Street and Dr. Watson takes your coat, you would be wondering what details Holmes would notice. But when you sit down with Jesus, it’s likely he will dig below the surface, too. Just ask the woman at the well. No point in pretending with Him; it’s time to be honest. Do you dare to sit in the chair?
Jesus is wiser than Yoda.
When we sit down with Jesus in prayer, it is not like traveling to a galaxy far, far away. Even as a kid, His wisdom amazed others. His insight challenged the religious leaders of the day. His discernment cut through the arguments of His enemies. When we come to “sit in the chair” with Jesus, His insight could forever change our thinking. Do you dare to sit in the chair?
Jesus is more life-changing than a training sequence in a Rocky movie.
It so many movies, there is a moment where the hero changes. Maybe there is a montage of workout scenes and the hero becomes a different person. Or a group of ragtag people is turned into an army. Sitting down with Jesus can have an even more dramatic impact. Zacchaeus has a short encounter with Jesus, and it changes his life. One of the criminals on a cross next to Jesus has a brief encounter with Him that changes his eternity. Do you dare to sit in the chair?
Jesus is more world-changing than Pinky and the Brain.
I don’t mean to get you upset, but this is an old TV show that I have never watched. But there is a funny conversation at the heart of the premise of the show. Pinky asks Brain, “What do you want to do tonight?” To which Brain replies, “Same thing we do every night. Try to take over the world.” Although I mention that to be funny, we find in the story of the disciples that the longer you sit with Jesus, you end up on a real mission to change the world. Mark 3:14 reminds us that Jesus invited the disciples to be with Him and then He would send them out. Their message is still changing the world. Do you dare to sit in the chair?
Conversation with Jesus can be life-changing. Prayer does not need to be complicated, but it can be transformative. Do you dare to sit in the chair? {eoa}
Kevin Senapatiratne is head spiritual pyromaniac for Christ Connection. Kevin speaks around the United States helping Christians find the fun of prayer. He is the author of Enjoying Prayer. You can learn more about his ministry at enjoyingprayer.com.
For the original article, visit christconnection.cc.
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