True thanksgiving, as a spiritual discipline, is not about what happens to us; it’s about who is with us.

The story of Blind Bartimaeus, found in the Gospel of Mark, is a popular account of healing. Jesus comes across an infirmed man on the side of the road, heals him, and continues his way. In the scriptural narrative, it all seems quite ordinary. Yet, Jesus’ statement that “Your faith has saved you” (Mark 10:52) indicates that there was something about how Bartimaeus called out to him that was instructive toward his healing.

If this is the case, then the story of Bartimaeus’ healing is instructive for us as well. It highlights how we may approach our Lord in prayer. After all, we all experience times when we feel the need for Christ’s mercy and healing. What might it look like to emulate Bartimaeus? Below are seven steps for praying in the manner of Bartimaeus.

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By calling himself a vine, Jesus reveals important truths about himself. Jesus not only discloses his identity as Lord, but he also reveals the truth of his salvific mission. Thus, the language of the vine speaks directly to our call to see Jesus as the source of our life and our salvation.

Faith is more than rule-keeping or sin-management. Faith is an abiding relationship with the one who created and redeemed us.

If we wish to live our lives under Jesus’ example, we must also seek times when we step away from the frenzy of our lives so that we can “waste our time” with Jesus.

The question of who we believe Jesus to be is perhaps the deepest and most important question we can ask ourselves as we grow in our faith. This is why Jesus asked the disciples what people were saying about him.

The world around us needs hope. Based on the rampant negativity we see in the news, the increase of discord, discouragement, and destruction, the world needs the church to embody the audacious truth that hope overcomes despair, forgiveness heals guilt, and love dismantles hate.

While we may have to sit with our questions or doubts for a season, Jesus will eventually reveal his presence in our lives. When this occurs, we should act like Thomas, who was brave enough to abandon his doubts and place his life in Jesus.

As Christians, we are invited to ask our questions. Jesus encourages us to seek understanding and to dive deeply into our faith.

The life of faith often contains seasons of waiting. When we find ourselves in the depths, we may have to wade in those waters for a time. Mercy means that God’s steadfast and eternal love meets us in the very depths from which we cry.

Certain verses in Scripture stand out above the rest. These are the verses that are unique in some way, the kind that make for good trivia. For example, we know that “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) is the shortest verse of the Bible, and that “Amen” is Scripture’s final word. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter of Scripture, and John 3:16, unsurprisingly, is the Bible’s most quoted verse. 

Well, if there were ever a vote for which verse was the scariest, my vote would go for Matthew 7:21. Here, Jesus states matter-of-factly that, “Not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Jesus indicates that some may be mistaken about their own righteous connection to God. The fact is, simply calling yourself a Christian is not enough.

As followers of Jesus, we need to take these words seriously. Christ strikes at the heart of what it means to live as his follower. Our discipleship is never about empty words or vain actions. We can’t simply talk a good game or rest upon our spiritual laurels; Jesus demands intentionality and dedication in our faith. Below are four important discipleship-lessons we can glean from Matthew 7:21-24. 

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Like waiting at the check-out, waiting for the realization of God’s promises can feel frustrating at times. Have you ever asked yourself “Why must I wait for the good things of God?” If so, you are not alone. Still, waiting is an important activity for our faith. Waiting is instructive, inspirational, and transformative. 

Happy New Year!

This probably seems like an odd thing to write, given we have barely cracked the opening of December. Wouldn’t such a proclamation be more appropriate next month? Why declare the beginning of a new year so early?  The reason is simple: Advent is upon us. For the body of Christ, the new year doesn’t begin in January, but at the dawn of Advent.

Advent is the first season of the church’s liturgical year, which begins roughly four weeks prior to Christmas. Due to the prevalence of “Advent calendars,” however, the season is commonly thought to be nothing more than a time to anticipate Christmas morning. This, however, is not strictly correct. Advent has a much more robust focus. In fact, rather than centering on the babe in the manger, Advent calls us to look for the King who comes upon the clouds (Matthew 26:64)

As the beginning of a new-year faith journey, Advent sets the course for our Christian life and witness. Observing Advent, therefore, can be life-giving and transformative. If you have never taken an intentional walk through this season, here are three reasons why observing Advent is important for our spiritual lives.

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As the poems and prayers of God’s people, the Psalms have an important role for the life of faith. They cover the fullness of human life and emotion, ranging from ecstatic praise to gut-wrenching laments. Through the Psalms, Israel exalted God for God’s goodness, and questioned where God was in times of struggle. 

The Psalms, however, are not just important to the Jewish people – they have an important role for Christians as well. Jesus himself quoted from the Psalms more than any other Old Testament book. In fact, in the darkest moment of his life, while hanging upon the cross with his life slowly ebbing away, it was Psalm 22 that was on Jesus’ lips. If Jesus turned to the Psalms to articulate his deepest prayer, then surely we can as well. 

If we wish to pray in the manner of our Lord, then familiarity with the Psalms, and use of the Psalms, is key. The Psalms guide us into deeper prayer by helping us describe the deep movements of our soul. Whenever we pray a Psalm, we can be assured that we are crying out to God in the deepest, most effective way.

If you are looking to pray though a Psalm, but don’t know where to turn, here are a few suggestions, along with how you might pray the Psalm in a personal way.

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