Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God Often we think of prayer only as talking to God. But “ Pondering prayer is talking with God about our thoughts, our wonderings, and our reflections on life experiences or challenges.”  When we ponder something we hold it lightly and give it space. We ruminate on…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God “We can only truly see the things of God through the eyes of faith, and the eyes of faith are the eyes of God.”  The author gives 4 suggestions for cultivating prayerful attentiveness. I know I so often pray that I will be more attentive to…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God Attention is the best preparation for prayer. This is not the same as concentration but of prayerful openness. We need to pay attention to that which is within us and beyond us in the present moment. That means being open and receptive to the sacred. As…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God “We do not pray so we can get God’s attention. We pray so that God will get our attention.”  How important it is to be attentive to God so that His love will be a reality in our lives. Sometimes we may feel like God is…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God Simply said Lectio Divina is 4 movements that involve reading and listening to a short passage of scripture several times. It begins with the first reading which is opening ourselves  to hear the words but also to listen particularly for the word or phrase that stands…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God We probably have all struggled like the author who read the Scriptures but felt like they were not speaking to where he was at or giving him life. But he discovered an ancient way, Lectio Divina, which was a gift from God to him. It means…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God As we open our hearts to God more and more we need to meet God on His terms not ours. He arranges the encounters!  Sometimes God seems hidden or silent,  and we feel like we are in a desert and very dry. This is not the…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God Honesty is so important in trusting God and being open to Him. God is real and He wants us to meet him in the midst of our realities of life and our experiences. “Prayer is the encounter of the true self with the true God.”  Honest…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God Jesus gives us an invitation to come to Him just as we, without pretense. But openness to God demands our trust. Most of us are guarded and have pretense but He wants us to come in faith which is expressed in vulnerability and self-honesty. “Faith in…

Devotions based on David Benner’s book, Opening to God It can be said that prayer is conversation, it is communion with God, it is being in love with God, it is God’s action in us. In conversational prayer our relationship with Him is strengthened as we speak to Him throughout the day.  We are reminded…