The Upward Journey of Prayer
Read Psalm 63 & 145
We have talked about the inward journey and posture of prayer. Now, we move upward. Similar to what we learned from the “Our Father” prayer, there is something important in our postures of prayer that gets our hearts gaze upward–directly upon God and His glory. As you read Psalm 63 and 145, you’ll notice how adoration, affection, and awe take the platform for the one praying.
Think of prayer like climbing a mountain trail.
At the bottom, our view is obscured—trees, cliffs, and obstacles block our sight. But as we keep walking, as we keep pressing upward in prayer, the horizon opens. We see with clarity. We breathe in fresh air. Our worries shrink in scale to the vastness of the view. That’s what prayer does to the soul: it lifts our hearts from ground-level living into God-entranced, Christ-centered, Spirit-filled seeing.
And in that elevation change, hearts change. Anxiety gives way to peace. Weakness yields to strength. Fear melts into love. This is the upward journey—prayer shaping us not just to ask for heaven, but to live from heaven (according to Ephesians 2:6, we are already seated there!). Please don’t think the upward prayer posture is something that is merely meant to stroke the ego of God (as if God were insecure!). The heart that is turned upward is turned to a place of love, worship, and wonder.
Who God is and what He has done to show His loyal love for us is cause enough for us to devote some time in prayer, getting lost in the wonder of it all! For those of us who have experienced this kind of prayer before, you’ll remember how alive you feel when your heart feels it has gone vertical, connecting with the God who inhabits heaven but so eagerly desires to be near to us. This serves as a great segue.
Here are 2 important thoughts on praying with an upward posture.
1) God’s presence is attracted to hearts that ache for Him.
Isaiah 57:15 (NIV) “For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Where does the high and lifted up God live? With the lowly in spirit (see also Matthew 5:3). This verse should bring us to our knees! God’s heart is magnetically drawn to the meek and mild. This is not about personality types. Even the charismatic leader with a lot of bravado can fit this heart posture! Rather, the call is for us to live with such humility and hunger for God that our prayer becomes: “God, my life is absolutely bankrupt without you! I have no joy apart from you. I have no breath apart from your grace. I am nothing without you. Be my everything. Have all of me!” Oh, friend, that kind of prayer, when said with earnestness of heart, moves God’s Spirit so near. This is upward praying at its finest!
2) God’s presence is enjoyed when we unhurry ourselves to be with Him.
Imagine being out with a loved one (romantically or simply a friend). Imagine starting the time just after sitting down by saying: “Hey, I have five minutes, so let’s bond, but quickly! I have a full schedule.” Nothing kills the mood like being pressed for time. It hurts to even think about how many times that is exactly what I have done to my Lord! If you want intimacy with God, then refuse to be hurried. Hurry and intimacy are not compatible; hurry repels intimacy. Read this blog post we wrote, which explains the difference between being busy and being hurried.
I know what you might be thinking: “This sounds great, but you don’t know how busy my life is! Even finding 5 minutes to read my Bible every day is a challenge!” I can’t pretend to know what it is like to walk a day in your shoes. However, I imagine that all of us can make room in our days to give God more–more of our time, sure, but more of our heart.
Try This
Give God at least one prolonged period of time in prayer each week.
This amount of time may differ, but fight to make it an hour. Yes, one hour of your week that is distinctly different from your other prayer rhythms, where you simply slow down, unhurry, and move your heart upward in loving attention to God. Let Scripture help turn your gaze toward Him. Psalm 63 and 145 were just two examples of this. Your prayer needs and desires are absolutely welcome to join. But the challenge here is to let your love for God drive our devotion in prayer, not just life’s crises. Maybe looking more at God–in His majesty and worthiness–is the truest way to transform our panic into peace.
Nothing is wasted when we create more room in our lives for worshipful, vertical prayer. And even if it were a waste, then let us waste our lives worshipping the One who is worthy of it all!
Discuss
- From reading Psalm 63 & 145, which verses resonated with you in how you feel about God? Expand on your answer.
- In your own words, what is unique and valuable about praying with an upward posture of prayer?
- How does calling out hurry as robbing our intimacy with God challenge you? How will the practical challenge (the “Try This”) help you in your personal prayer journey?