Rhythms of Grace: Learning to Pray

We are in our series called Rhythms of Grace. Before we discuss prayer this morning, I want to address one of the things we access through prayer: grace.

Let’s talk about some common misunderstandings of grace. Sometimes people confuse grace and mercy, so it’s helpful to clarify the difference.

Mercy is incredibly important. It’s critical. We need God’s mercy, which is Jesus going to the cross, bleeding, and dying for us. Mercy washes away our sins. We are all sinners before Him, with a lifetime of mistakes and people we’ve hurt. When we come to the cross, we need and receive His mercy. We say, “Lord, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” Mercy looks back at our past and present, up to this point.

Grace, however, is about the present moving forward. Mercy looks backward; grace looks forward. Mercy cleanses and forgives us, while grace empowers us. Grace is the empowerment of the Spirit to live in a way that’s impossible in our own strength. God’s call is impossibly high for each of us, but He believes we can meet it because we can access His grace. It’s the Spirit of God, the anointing in and on us, that makes the impossible possible.

We ask God for His grace, which is His Holy Spirit, saying:

“Help me forgive that person. Help me not get angry. Help me pray for this.”

Colossians 1:9-14 (NIV)

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you, asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might, so you may have full endurance, patience, and joyfully give thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in His inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Jesus doesn’t just pick us up from the pit, forgive us, and leave us to it. That’s not the gospel. It’s not, “Good luck, keep living in the flesh.” He has a high calling for each of us, one we spend our lives moving toward. We never fully arrive, and we don’t have anything to boast about. All of us fall short, but we are always moving forward, growing from glory to glory, grace to grace. We need His grace because we don’t have what it takes on our own.

Luke 11:13 (NIV)

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

He wants to give you His Spirit—not just material things we often pray for—but more grace and empowerment from the Holy Spirit.

The Rhythm of Prayer: Leaving the Camp

In Exodus 33:7:

“Moses used to take the tent and pitch it at a distance outside the camp. He called it the Tent of Meeting, and anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp.”

God calls us to leave the camp. Each of us has family, noise, social media—the camp. It’s busy, energetic, fun. But the Lord calls us to prayer outside the camp. If you’re not willing to leave the camp, you won’t have this encounter. It’s a special thing God is calling you to, but you must leave something behind.

God called Abraham in Genesis 12:1-2:

“The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.’”

For each of us, there’s a camp we must leave behind. Will you go outside the camp to meet with God? He’s calling you, and it’s up to you to respond. Sometimes He just wants time with you, not to tell you something specific.

Making Space

The second thing we see in Exodus is that Moses built a space for it. He made a place to meet with God so often that it became a habit. We can’t always go on a big hike or get out of the city, though we should sometimes. I love walking up the hills and getting away, but with commitments, we can’t do that every day.

However, you can make a place to meet with God—maybe a cupboard where you push shoes aside, close the door, get on the floor, and pray. I don’t know where your place is, but you should make one outside the camp, away from noise, busyness, and distractions. Put your phone away, turn off the noise, and get alone with Him. This is the core rhythm of grace, the call to prayer.

Jesus modeled this habit:

Matthew 14:23

“After He dismissed them, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone.”

Luke 6:12

“In those days, Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.”

Mark 1:35

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place where He prayed.”

Luke 5:16

“He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.”

This was a critical part of Jesus’s life. He left the camp, the noise, the disciples’ questions, and the crowds’ needs. There were many demons, broken limbs, and needs, but you can’t always immerse yourself in them. Sometimes, you must do what Jesus did: unplug, walk away, and be alone. None of us have enough to give everyone what they need. You must get alone with God and let Him fill you with His Spirit. Being in His presence fills you.

No Rules, Just Relationship

Open the Bible. Maybe sing along to worship music. Jesus said there are different seasons, no strict rules. I’ve heard advice that put guilt on me, saying prayer must be a certain length or way, but there are no rules. There are rhythms and flows led by the Spirit. We’re not robots. God just wants you. He’s wooing you, calling you.

Sometimes, you may enter a season where prayer is difficult, and things feel quiet or hard to connect with. That’s when Jesus’s prayer becomes a helpful template:

Matthew 6:6

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Pagans pray to lower-tier gods, territorial spirits, or small deities, petitioning for something by following a formula. That’s not what we do. We pray to our Heavenly Father, who knows what we need and just wants time with us. You don’t need to recite rehearsed words or impress Him. He says, “I know what you need. I see you, I hear you, I’m with you every day.” He wants you to be with Him, to know Him.

The Lord’s Prayer

This is how we should pray:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

It starts with recognizing who we’re talking to. Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves of His greatness. Meeting a great leader would make you nervous; you’d respect the conversation and dress up. When you go into God’s presence, saying “Our Father in heaven” inspires awe.

Then:

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Prayer connects us to God’s mission and agenda. We align with what He’s doing, submitting to His will, praying for His kingdom to become reality in our lives, families, and bodies.

To step into the kingdom, we pray:

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

John 6:35

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Then:

“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

Matthew 18:21-22

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”

Finally:

“Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from the evil one.”

Luke 22:46

“Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Prayer connects us to God’s mission and grace. He wants us free to flourish in His kingdom.

Abiding in God

Exodus 33:11

“The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua, son of Nun, would not leave the tent.”

Moses represents the law, going in and out of the place of prayer. Joshua, whose name Yeshua means Savior (like Jesus), remains and abides. We’re called to abide in God’s presence continually, not go in and out. Living in and out—coming to church, feeling connected, then falling back into sin and guilt—is exhausting. God wants to set us free from that cycle, teaching us to abide in His grace.

1 Corinthians 3:16

“Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”

We don’t need to go to a place anymore; He’s with us always—when we’re sinning, at church, in the car, at home. He says, “I’m always here. You can lean into Me anytime, not just at church or with faithful people. Learn to rest in My presence wherever you are.”

Ecclesiastes 5:1

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools.”

I spent a year stuck in a cycle of apologizing to God, feeling His mercy, then falling back into sin. The table, rooted in the Tent of Meeting and Jesus’s Last Supper, represents the deeper things He wants to share. He says, “Let Me wash you, then come sit at the table. I have so much to show you. Don’t get stuck in the sorry cycle.”

If you’re tired of that cycle, God is drawing you deeper. He’s not blocking you; He’s inviting you to the table. If you feel far from God, you can invite Jesus back into your life.

Let’s pray:

“Dear Lord Jesus, I ask You today to become my Lord and Savior. I believe You are God, that You died on the cross and rose from the dead to set me free from the power of sin and death. Please forgive me for my sins and receive me as Your child. I believe your mercy washes me of my past mistakes, and I ask for your grace to empower me to overcome temptation. Fill me today with the Holy Spirit to lead and help me follow You. Today, I become a child of God. Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer, congratulations! It’s the best decision you’ll ever make. To connect with us, visit our website for information about who we are, what we believe, and ways to get involved. We meet at 10 a.m. every Sunday at 269 Hills Road. Come join us. Have a great week!