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| Make Room to Be Refreshed series |

* How to Do More by Doing Less

* How to Be Motivated for Quiet Time

* How to Stay Engaged in Quiet Times

When He asks us to pray, He isn’t giving us another to-do; He’s inviting us to put it all on Him and just breathe.

This week we’ll continue this series from last week on making room to receive God’s invitation.  If I can say it simply, God is inviting you to be with Him.  When we’re busy, though, this can feel like an obligation rather than an invitation.  However, God isn’t interested in obligating us to spend time with Him; after all, we no longer live under the law but under grace.  What’s more, God doesn’t invite us to spend time with Him for His own benefit (as if He needs anything from us) but for our benefit.

During Jesus’ ministry, He was very active. He went from place to place teaching and healing so many, but He “would often slip away to the wilderness to pray.” Just a few weeks ago we saw how the Father strengthened Jesus in one of these times of prayer. When Jesus was with people He was constantly pouring out, constantly serving, constantly giving. This was the one time that He could rest and receive. Nothing was expected of Him; nothing was required of Him. I wholeheartedly believe that Jesus was refreshed by these times with the Father. The word ‘refreshed’ in Hebrew is ‘naphash’ and means to ‘breathe in’. The word for ‘spirit’ in Hebrew is ‘ruach’ and means ‘breath’. When we spend time in the presence of God, we can be refreshed by His Spirit. That is, we are surrounded by His ‘breath’ and we can simply ‘breathe in’. When He asks us to pray, He isn’t giving us another to-do; He’s inviting us to put it all on Him and just breathe.

Let’s set aside for a moment everything we feel we’re supposed to do when we pray.  His presence is the one place you can be free of expectations.  It’s only you and God there, and He loves you.  He’s invited you there to strengthen and serve you, to wash your feet just as Jesus did at the last supper.  Just breathe.  Open your heart and tell Him the things that bother you.  Tell Him how you feel; ask Him to comfort you.  Praise Him for how good He is, for what He’s done for you.  Talk about your struggles and don’t be afraid to acknowledge where you’ve fallen. After all, Jesus is able “to sympathize with our weaknesses” because He was