New Year Prayer Retreat Guide
by Jason Thompson
Happy new year!
This is it! Another year to trust Jesus and follow him in the places that he leads us. You have a tremendous day before you, the opportunity to spend the day with Jesus. In the first chapter of John’s Gospel, there is a short story of two young people who heard that Jesus was the lamb of God. So, in their curiosity and excitement they began to follow him around. Jesus turned to the two of them and said, “what do you want” and so they asked him “where are you staying ?” Jesus replied to them, “come and see”. So they went and saw where he was staying and spent the day with him. And that day completely transformed their lives. And Jesus is offering you that same invitation today, to come and see and to spend the day with him.
This Prayer Retreat Guide is simply meant to be helpful to you in spending a day with Jesus. There are suggestions here on some things that would be useful to have with you. As well, there are tips on how you can spend the day, a passage of scripture and some personal reflection questions. The point of all, this is not to work through a bunch of questions, to get all your answers, maybe you will and maybe you won’t. But the point is Jesus. The point of this day and every day is Jesus. This guide is just meant to help you set your mind and heart back on him. So let’s get to following Jesus.
Needs and Elements for a Prayer Retreat
Need for journaling and time alone
Notes App or a Journal
Pen
Bible App or Bible
New Year Prayer Retreat Guide
HOW TO SPEND THE DAY
A. Settle Down. Take time to find a quiet place. Get settled. In this time you want to take a few minutes to get oriented to your surroundings so that they do not become a distraction. We want to avoid chasing butterflies in an hour (unless Jesus tells you to go do that).
B. Silence. Spend some extended time (30 minutes to an hour) just being silent. This may be difficult but it is important to have the time to quiet yourself both within and without. Take time to pray, but not necessarily asking Jesus “what should I do or what’s next?” rather ask him to meet with you during this time and share His heart with you. Take time to share with Him your own gratitude for His friendship, love and mercy.
C. Lectio. Spend some time in Scripture. Using the Lectio guide below, dig deep into the Isaiah 9 passage
D. Discovery Questions. Now is the time to think about the specifics of your own life and the way it intersects with the passage. Work through each question. This is time to reflect and recognize what God has done and is doing in and through you.
E. Ask. Take time to ask Jesus….where are you inviting me to follow you, what are changes I need to make in my life and thinking given everything that you have reflected on in His word and your answers to the Discovery Questions.
F. Gratitude. . Thank Jesus for speaking to you and sharing His heart and dreams for your life with you.
G. Share. Share your time and what you feel Jesus is calling you to do with a person that you trust and you recognize has more spiritual maturity than you. Ask them to give you feedback on what you heard and experienced.
LECTIO
PASSAGE
So often, Isaiah 9 is a passage commonly found on Christmas cards. And rightly so as it was a prophecy written about Jesus 700 years before his birth. However, the main theme of this passage is the revealing of Jesus‘s character and his leadership. We are going to spend some time at the feet of Jesus, reflecting deeply on his character and the implications of his leadership in our lives. Take some time to read the passage, perhaps it would be helpful to read it a few times, and if you find it helpful, to work through some of the reflection questions below.
Isaiah 9:2,6–7 (NIV)
v2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
v6–7For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
PLACE
Get comfortable and take time to settle into silence. Take a moment to pray a simple prayer of thanksgiving and then rest in the quiet.. If you find thoughts of tasks needing your attention, worries etc just write them down in your journal as a way of offering them to God and then return to being silent.
READ
Read Isaiah 9:2;6–7. Reflect on each portion of the reading, listening for Jesus’ "still, small voice" of a word or phrase that somehow speaks to you or catches your attention. In Lectio, God is teaching us to listen to Him, to seek Him in silence. He does not reach out and grab us; rather, He softly, gently invites us to listen and reflect with him.
REFLECT
Take the word or phrase that “spoke to you” and reflect on it again. Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories and ideas. How is Jesus speaking to you through this word or phrase?
Lectio Reflection questions from Isaiah 9
What is one of the names of Jesus as written by the prophet Isaiah in this passage that resonates with you right now at this point in your life?
Why is that particular name so relevant for you right now?
This passage in particular addresses Jesus‘s leadership, this is as broad as Jesus‘s leadership in the kingdom of God, among the nations throughout the Earth, but also his leadership in our individual lives. Take some time as you reflect on Jesus‘s leadership in your life, how have you seen Jesus lead you?
Jesus‘s leadership as described in this passage is profoundly good and just. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus’s is based primarily on his character in this passage? What is an area of your life or perhaps your whole life where you need to put your trust in Jesus‘s leadership?
The passage ends with Isaiah saying that the zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish Jesus‘s leadership in the kingdom and in our lives. The word zeal can simply be translated as passion and longing. Jesus, the wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the Prince of peace is passionate for you. He longs to see his character formed in you. The desire of his heart is to complete the good work that he began in you. So often we worry about things in our lives being taken care of, but Isaiah says that it is Jesus‘s zeal for us that will see us through in those things . How does that change your view of things to come, or perhaps even things in the past?
SPEAK
Speak to God.. Interact with God, He knows you, loves you and accepts you. Give to Him what you have discovered during your experience of reflection. Experience God using the word or phrase that He has given you as a means of prayng and seeking him
REST
Rest in God's presence. And when He invites you to return to your reflecting…go for it. Learn to use words when words are helpful, and to let go of words when they no longer are necessary. Rejoice in the knowledge that God is with you in both words and silence.
REPEAT AS IS NECESSARY
Sometimes you are going to want to go back to the passage either to reflect more deeply or to pay attention to a new word or phrase that God gives you.. At other times only a single word or phrase will fill the whole time set aside for Lectio.
PERSONAL DISCOVERY QUESTIONS
During our prayer day, we can bring to Jesus things both personal and specific thst we are dealing with in our lives as well as the hopes and concerns of the coming year. Here are some questions to help you journal and reflect on during your retreat. It is very important that as you answer each question that you bring your thoughts and answers to Jesus in prayer; listening for his voice, his wisdom and his leading.
Past
What are you thankful for as you reflect on your past?
Reflect on your journey with the Lord this past year. What have you learned? Where have you seen growth, struggles, joys, successes and failures?
Where have you discovered Jesus and his leading in the ordinary details of your life?
Present
What are you thankful for as you reflect on your life today?
In what ways have you been experiencing Jesus’s presence deeply?
What is a theme that Jesus has been speaking to you about recently?
In what areas of your life have you been experiencing difficulty? Where do you need the help of others?
What is one (just one for now) area in your life where you want to see growth and change? If Jesus were living your life, how would he think and act in that area of your life?
Possibilities
What are your dreams for the coming year? What do you want to see happen? How do you want to be used by God?
Who are people the Lord has placed in your life as your community?
Who do you want to reach? Who are people that God has given you a burden and passion for? What are next steps you could take in serving and loving those people?
NEXT STEPS
As you come to the end of your day, take some time again just to be silent. Ask Jesus if there’s anything that the two of you have not yet talked about that he wants to address. He might surprise you.
Take some time once again in, remembering who Jesus is, his zeal and passion for you and that you can trust him. If it helps me listen to a worship song or just go for a walk thanking him for the day and the time he spent with you.
Finally, hearing from Jesus, and following him is done among a community of people centered around Jesus. It is important to share and reflect upon your time alone with the Lord with others. Who is someone you can share the day that you spent with Jesus and get feedback.as you consider next steps?
I pray that this day has filled you with joy, hope and passion for Jesus. He truly is good and just and we can trust him with this next year, come what may. Take a minute, and simply pray the following blessing for the end of the day…
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 NIV
