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Day 23: The Pull 2 (SoS 1:4a)

 "Draw me away! We will run after you. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will remember your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you." Song of Songs 1:4

Just like every maiden in Esther's time had a chance with King Ahasuerus behind closed doors, the Bride was asking for her chance to get to know her Beloved without prying eyes. She realized that intimacy required privacy and she was ready to be drawn away.

The only purpose of being drawn away is to be alone with Jesus. When we are alone with Him, He opens up Himself to us and intimacy begins.

Just like we want to spend time with human lovers, getting to know them and creating memories, Jesus wants to create memories with us. Intimacy is a one-on-one private affair. No matter how much a man desires, he'll only know Jesus to the extent he gives Him time.

Our time with Jesus should be both scheduled and spontaneous.
  1. Scheduled prayer can either be routine or planned:
  • Routine: day-to-day prayer time like the daily devotion time.
  • Planned: spending premeditated long periods in prayer. It's what we call tarrying in prayer or waiting on the Lord. Times of retreats are also planned prayer times.
  1. Spontaneous: praying when the Holy Spirit nudges, or under your breath as you go about your day.

Scheduled (routine and planned) prayer takes you deeper with Jesus, while spontaneous prayer sustains fellowship with Him all through the moments of the day. Both are necessary for intimacy. It's just like how spending hours on the phone talking to a lover does not cancel out the continuous chat updates throughout the day and planned dates.

In the bible, we see all three with Jesus:
  • Routine prayer: Luke 5:15 tells us Jesus often went away by Himself to pray.
  • Planned prayer: the Mount of Transfiguration in Luke 9.
  • Spontaneous prayer: In Luke 3:21, while He was being baptized, He was praying.
Sometimes, spontaneous prayer times inspired by the Holy Spirit can also be 'planned'. Like the 40-day fast at the beginning of Jesus' ministry. It was inspired by the Holy Spirit but Jesus had to set out time to obey His nudge.

As we make ourselves available in these times of prayer, we must go into Jesus' presence in faith that the Holy Spirit will usher us into intimacy with Him. Jesus did say concerning Him in John 16:14:

"He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you" (Amplified Classic)

PRAY WITH ME:
Lord, I ask today for the grace to spend time with you in prayer both spontaneous and scheduled. Grant me sensitivity of heart that I may recognize and follow the Holy Spirit as He ushers me into intimacy with Jesus. Amen.

REFLECT AND ACT:
  • Do you have each of these prayer classifications in your walk with Jesus and how can you do them better?
  • Find in the Gospels, especially the Gospel of Luke verses that speak about Jesus' prayer life and note lessons from them.


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