Today's Devotions

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Showcase:Lent

  • Fourth Sunday in Lent - The Man Born Blind by David Hyman +

    Spiritual blindness is the driving theme in this passage from John 9:1-41. But the man born blind is the one Read More
  • Lent Backwards by Julie Moore +

    The Easter buffet at The Carolina Inn is a bounteous feast to follow the fasting of the Lenten season.. Despite the fact that Jesus Read More
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Following this introduction to prayer, there are links to articles involving each of the four types of prayer-adoration, contrition/confession, thanksgiving, and supplication. 

An old acronym may serve here: ACTS.

That is, there are different kinds of prayer, as determined by what it seeks or is trying to say: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication.

Contrition is the awareness and expression of being merely a creature, and a weak and flawed creature at that, in the presence of the Holy One. We make mistakes; we fail; we fall. To realize that and to pray is comforting and relaxing, for it just confesses who and what we are and the way things are. No need to pretend. God loved us before we existed and knows all our faults. God is merciful. God forgives no matter how many times we fail.

Thanksgiving is joyous praise of God. One who can thank God for everything, good and bad, is a truly happy person. Gratitude and joy are so closely related. And gratitude is a basis for expecting further favors. A little girl compliments her grandmother on her wonderful pie — and asks for more.

Supplication. From the viewpoint of ordinary language and the human condition, this is what prayer means — petition. We ask God for what we need. All prayer is asking. The Our Father is a list of petitions, from "hallowed be thy name" to "deliver us from evil." If God is bothered by prayers of petition, it is His own fault. Jesus has urged us, "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Mt 7:7).

http://www.redemptorists.net/dimensions.cfm

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Witnesses for Jesus by Tim Keller (Mark 15) +

    Tim Keller discusses the significance of the women and men who saw Jesus die, buried, and resurrected.  Read More
  • Prayer-bringing light into darkness by NT Wright +

    NT Wright discusses the importance of prayer in maintaining a relationship with Jesus. Read More
  • After darkness, light-the reformation by Michael Reeves +

    Michael Reeves discusses the transformative power of bringing Jesus to the world at the heart of the Reformation. Read More
  • The Esther Option-Living in a fallen world by Mike Cosper +

    The following is an excerpt from an article on The Gospel Coalition website. Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Falling in Love With God +

    “falling in love with God,” as Boa’s subtitle for the facet explains. In this approach we attempt to enter into Read More
  • One Holy Fire, Nicky Cruz +

    The introduction to One Holy Fire, Let the Spirit Ignite Your Soul establishes Cruz’s desire to awaken the passion and Read More
  • Transformed +

    Webster defines devotion as “love, loyalty, or enthusiasm for a person, activity or cause.” How do we fall in love Read More
  • A Christ-Life Through Spiritual Alignment +

    A Christ-Life Through Spiritual Alignment Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. Read More
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