How Should We Pray? Immanuel Journaling | February 8, 2023

What is Immanuel Journaling? 

"Rather than writing to God, Immanuel journaling* invites us to listen as God writes to us. Even in the name, Immanuel, we are reminded that God is with us. We hold the pen, but we imagine what the Lord is speaking to us in the moment. Everything we write is filtered through Scripture and our knowledge of God’s character." —Shara-Rae Jansen

In last Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Aaron explained the prayer model parts of Immanuel Journaling:

1. Gratitude:
2. Dear God, I am thankful for …
3. Dear Child of mine … What is God’s response to your gratitude?
4. I can see you.
5. From God’s perspective, what does He observe in you right now?
6. Pay attention to what is happening in your body as you do this.
7. I can hear you.
8. From God’s perspective, what does He hear you saying to yourself?
9. I understand how big this is for you/I understand how you feel.
10. How does God see your dreams, blessings or upsets, and troubles?
11. I am glad to be with you and treat your weakness tenderly.
12. How does God express His desire to participate in your life?
13. I can do something about what you are going through.
14. What does God want to give you for this time?
15. Read what you have written aloud (preferably to someone else if possible).
16. Do not give any context or explanation for why you have what you have. Just share it with someone you trust to receive it well.
17. The Brain isn’t looking for solutions, it’s looking for validation and comfort.

As you read the following passage of Scripture, label as many parts of the Immanuel Journaling process you find in this interaction between Moses and God. Just like God is with Moses, God is with us!

Exodus 3:1-8

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. ³ And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” ⁴ When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” ⁵ Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ⁶ And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

⁷ Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, ⁸ and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

If time allows, practice the Immanuel Journaling process in your prayer time today.

*Joyful Journey: Listening to Immanuel is an excellent book on this prayer model.