In this sermon, Pastor Johanna Kelly explores wordless or contemplative prayer—a form of prayer beyond language, where we meet God in silence and presence rather than through words. It reflects on those moments in life, whether joyful, sorrowful, or ordinary, when words fail and we sense the divine near. Contemplative prayer is not about doing but about being fully present, allowing God’s love to meet us where we are. As we open our hearts, we move from knowing about God to truly knowing God.
Questions:
1. Have you ever experienced a moment where words felt completely inadequate—either in sorrow or joy? What was that moment like for you?
2. Why do you think silence and stillness are often so uncomfortable for us? What tends to surface in you when you try to be quiet before God?
3. The sermon mentions that “progress in intimacy with God means progress towards silence.” What might this mean for your own prayer life?
4. What does it mean to you to bring your “whole self” to God in prayer—your past, present, hurts, and hopes?
5. How do your current images of God and of yourself shape the way you approach prayer?
6. The sermon says, “Maybe Jesus is inviting you to trust that God is love.” What might that invitation look like for you right now?
7. What practices (breath prayers, centering prayer, meditation, silence) help you become more present to God? Which ones feel most challenging?
8. If contemplative prayer is about “being fully present — in heart, mind, and body — to what is,” how might this posture transform your daily life, not just your prayer life?
9. The sermon highlights that God knocks and invites us to ‘sit and stay awhile.’ How might your community or relationships change if you embodied that same invitation for others?
10. How can contemplative or wordless prayer help bridge the divide between the seen (our human experience) and the unseen (the divine presence)?
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In this sermon, Pastor Johanna Kelly explores wordless or contemplative prayer—a form of prayer beyond language, where we meet God in silence and presence rather than through words. It reflects on those moments in life, whether joyful, sorrowful, or ordinary, when words fail and we sense the divine near. Contemplative prayer is not about doing but about being fully present, allowing God’s love to meet us where we are. As we open our hearts, we move from knowing about God to truly knowing God.
Questions:
1. Have you ever experienced a moment where words felt completely inadequate—either in sorrow or joy? What was that moment like for you?
2. Why do you think silence and stillness are often so uncomfortable for us? What tends to surface in you when you try to be quiet before God?
3. The sermon mentions that “progress in intimacy with God means progress towards silence.” What might this mean for your own prayer life?
4. What does it mean to you to bring your “whole self” to God in prayer—your past, present, hurts, and hopes?
5. How do your current images of God and of yourself shape the way you approach prayer?
6. The sermon says, “Maybe Jesus is inviting you to trust that God is love.” What might that invitation look like for you right now?
7. What practices (breath prayers, centering prayer, meditation, silence) help you become more present to God? Which ones feel most challenging?
8. If contemplative prayer is about “being fully present — in heart, mind, and body — to what is,” how might this posture transform your daily life, not just your prayer life?
9. The sermon highlights that God knocks and invites us to ‘sit and stay awhile.’ How might your community or relationships change if you embodied that same invitation for others?
10. How can contemplative or wordless prayer help bridge the divide between the seen (our human experience) and the unseen (the divine presence)?
In this message from Robyn Elliott, we rediscover prayer not as something to master but as a rhythm to live - a way of turning aside to notice the divine in the everyday. From the burning bush to the coffee line, God meets us on ordinary ground and turns it into holy ground. Prayer isn’t about performance, it’s about presence, learning to see that every moment can become sacred when we pause to notice God there.
Questions:
1. Do you see prayer as something you understand or something you still feel like a beginner at? Why? What fears or barriers might hold you back from praying freely and honestly?
2. Robyn said, “How we imagine God determines how we pray.” What theological or psychological insights can we draw from that statement? How might our image of God - whether as distant judge, intimate friend, or creative force - shape both the content and the confidence of our prayers?
3. Think of a time when something ordinary suddenly felt sacred. What happened?
4. Moses encountered God in a burning bush. What might be the “ordinary bush” in your life right now where God is trying to get your attention? And how does it change your perspective to think that every ground is holy ground because God is there?
5. If prayer is “a rhythm to keep” rather than a “skill to master,” how does that reshape our understanding of spiritual formation? In what ways might prayer be less about achieving results and more about being formed into a certain kind of person?
6. What would it look like for you to “turn aside” and notice God in your daily routines - your commute, your kitchen, your conversations?
7. What small step could you take this week to make prayer a rhythm rather than a task?
8. Robyn suggested a few exercises to try over the course of this series. Which one will you start with?
9. Download the Lectio 365 app
10. Spend some time in the prayer room
11. Attend Pilgrimage of Prayer on Nov. 23
12. Pray the Lord’s Prayer
Lakeside Church
In this sermon, Pastor Johanna Kelly explores wordless or contemplative prayer—a form of prayer beyond language, where we meet God in silence and presence rather than through words. It reflects on those moments in life, whether joyful, sorrowful, or ordinary, when words fail and we sense the divine near. Contemplative prayer is not about doing but about being fully present, allowing God’s love to meet us where we are. As we open our hearts, we move from knowing about God to truly knowing God.
Questions:
1. Have you ever experienced a moment where words felt completely inadequate—either in sorrow or joy? What was that moment like for you?
2. Why do you think silence and stillness are often so uncomfortable for us? What tends to surface in you when you try to be quiet before God?
3. The sermon mentions that “progress in intimacy with God means progress towards silence.” What might this mean for your own prayer life?
4. What does it mean to you to bring your “whole self” to God in prayer—your past, present, hurts, and hopes?
5. How do your current images of God and of yourself shape the way you approach prayer?
6. The sermon says, “Maybe Jesus is inviting you to trust that God is love.” What might that invitation look like for you right now?
7. What practices (breath prayers, centering prayer, meditation, silence) help you become more present to God? Which ones feel most challenging?
8. If contemplative prayer is about “being fully present — in heart, mind, and body — to what is,” how might this posture transform your daily life, not just your prayer life?
9. The sermon highlights that God knocks and invites us to ‘sit and stay awhile.’ How might your community or relationships change if you embodied that same invitation for others?
10. How can contemplative or wordless prayer help bridge the divide between the seen (our human experience) and the unseen (the divine presence)?
