A child of God prayer exercise

Prayer Zone Journal: God, my Abba
December 11

I come to the track at 7:30 a.m. to exercise and pray with my heavenly Father. I begin by imagining God’s throne room. It has no walls or doors, but stretches out like the sky above me. God’s throne room is bright, like the sunlight of the morning, and tranquil. I stand in front of God’s throne in his presence, and I visualize Jesus to the left of the throne. Scripture says that he is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2). I am reminded that Jesus said: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). I silently repeat my heavenly Father’s name—“Abba”—as I walk the first lap of the track. The previous hour of my day was filled with the morning rush: breakfast, packing lunches, and ushering three teenagers out the door and off to school. That hectic routine pales as I focus on being in the presence of the sovereign, mighty God. My heart becomes calm as my mind gives attention to my heavenly Father.

As I speak my heavenly Father’s name, I comprehend balance in God’s throne room. I stand upright and steady in the presence of a holy and pure God, with Jesus as the mediating presence in this relationship. Jesus and his work on the cross compensate for the weight of my ungodliness that should unbalance me and tip me from God’s presence. Yet scripture says that we can have confidence to enter God’s presence because of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19). It is not self-assurance that allows me to boldly stand in God’s throne room.

I also sense the family bond between God, the Father; and Jesus, his Son, as expressed in their names. And, this morning, I discern that I join this special relationship, not as an inferior member of the family, but as a cherished and well-loved daughter. Suddenly, I feel the warmth of the sun on my back as I turn the corner of the track, even though it is a bitterly cold December morning. It’s a physical reminder of God’s love for me, his child. My body soaks up the sun’s rays as my heart soaks up the love of my heavenly Abba.

Use the prayer exercise below as a reminder that you are a child of God.

Five minutes of exercise:

Spend five minutes in prayer with your heavenly Father. Imagine coming into his magnificent and glorious throne room. You are his child, through your belief in Jesus Christ. Reflect on being the daughter or son of the most high God.

A word from scripture:

I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:18 (NIV)

Meditation guidance:

1. Using your imagination, come into your heavenly Father’s throne room. Spend the next minute or two calling out his name. Repeat the words “Abba, Father” as you focus on being in his presence.

And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:6 (NLT)

 2. Be confident in God’s presence because you are his well-loved child. Remember when you turned to him in faith through Jesus. Thank your heavenly Father for his love and compassion shown to you, and his adoption of you as his child.

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12 (NLT)

3. Reflect on the protection that you are guaranteed as a child of God. Ask your heavenly Father to assure you of his protection for this year.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.
Psalm 1:6 (NIV)

Here is the exercise in a handy, condensed format to print out and use when you pray.