Categories: uncategorized
Date: 14 January 2008 07:13:11
In a few weeks I have to lead a workshop, (which is a bit scary because whilst I teach loads I've never had to facilitate in another setting before). Anyway folks, I have a slight issue I know what I'm going to be doing and it will involve a mish mash of stuff I use in personal prayer, but it's stuff I have just kind of picked up along the the way and I have no appropriate referencing for. I am suddenly acutley aware I could wander into the field of plagurism if I'm not careful, so any refs to books on using contemporary forms of media in personal prayer would be v. useful.
Oh and as I put all the stuff I use in a coherent format (and hope somebody knows where I picked up the ideas in the first place) I'm going to take you guys through a small series.
Today:
Praying with the i-pod
To do this it is useful to set up a playlist of tunes you find useful when settling down into prayer, reflecting on God and either his grace or your need for him, or just that help you praise him. These songs can be secular or "Christian" and it can be the music or lyrics which help you connect to God.
With secular songs you can sometimes find it useful to almost subvert the lyrics by focusing on them from a Christian perspective, although sometimes some of the deepest truths can be found in secular music.
Sometimes it is useful to just sit and listen to a track or two to help you recognise you are in Gods presence and get you settled before a time of silence, sometimes it's helpful to sing along with the track giving praise as part of your prayer time, sometimes it's useful to reflect on lyrics to give you an awareness of a particular aspect of God and sometimes you may wish to actually pray the lyrics - giving them to the Lord as you pray.
Some of the songs I have found particularly useful in this respect are:
Jesus Wept by Ralph McTell
Be Thou My Vision by Edens Bridge
Come as You Are by Nirvana
Don't Leave Home by Dido
Amazing Grace by Blind Boys of Alabama