The acrid smell stings her nostrils, retracting her top lip into a sneer. Immediately her brain signals the source of the smell, and her body jumps to react.
“Fire!” she yells.
Moments ago, she leaned against the cool granite counter. Her chilled stemless glass swirling a blonde, silky nectar. A satisfied smile settled into her cheeks as she watched each of her girlfriends talking, tossing her hair, or tilting a chin up to release a laugh. Throughout the evening, stress of the busy week melted out of the room.
But when the word, “Fire” shrilled through the house, everything the friends were talking about, doing and even feeling changed.
Some ran to get help. Others tried to identify the source or help each other to safety.
But no one ignored the word.
Neither does God ignore one word you utter. Especially the -content dense- One Word Prayer.
One Word Prayers
A One Word Prayer tells a story. It sketches dangers, hopes, emotions and needs. The scene your word creates floats up to heaven and demands a response.
Heaven will not leave you hanging. God responds to lengthy monologues the same as He does to One Word Prayers pleaded from a thoughtful heart. (Remember this when you read Step 1 below.)
What’s more, One Word Prayers counteract common hindrances to prayer, and maintain connection with God throughout our busy days.
Common hindrances include: time restraints, intimidation, fatigue, stress, motivation, and distractions. One Word Prayers override those hindrances with little effort. In addition they loop our minds over those barriers and realign our focus on God. Even if only for a moment.
Regardless of a prayer’s length, every moment of prayer is worth it: to us and to God.
3 Types of One Word Prayers
1. Request
A simple One Word Prayer circling a need, concern or desire.
One of my favorite One Word Prayers is “Help”. I use it for a lot of things. In particular my marriage and my parenting. When I pray “Help” in those circumstances I believe God pushes off the arm rests of His throne so He can bend down to get a better look at why His kid is crying out. As He does, the entire landscape of my need projects itself into heaven. Immediately, He organizes a response team. (Psalm 34:17).
2. Redirect
A One Word Prayer materializing not from my thoughts, but from His.
Lately, for a lot of us experiencing this pandemic, our thoughts scatter all over the place. Verses from Psalm 91-the fear fighting psalm- jump off the bright screens of our bible apps.
My favorite verse is 91:4 “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge…”
I visualize soft wings creating a warm gentle and snug environment, contrasting the cold and exposed elements of fear. Throughout the day I might pray the One Word Prayer “Tucked” reminding all the spiritual beings (God, me, and the enemy) where I reside.
3. Revelation
This more complex One Word Prayer emerges when my thoughts and His converge.
For example: I want my husband to experience a relationship with Jesus like I do. It’s the best thing about my life,and I want to share it with him.
Since he’s already a man of deep faith, humility and generosity, I wasn’t sure how to pray for him. Then I read the story of Cornelius in Acts 10.
Right there on those ancient pages God shows me who my husband is, how God views him and God’s plan to meet with him. The strategy, the promise and the answers are all right there.
My One Word Prayer: Cornelius.
As I pray it, God’s own words spread out in front of Him like a scroll of ancient parchment. He knows exactly what I’m asking. He wrote it in His own words.
(1 John 5:14-15)
Steps to Creating Your First One Word Prayer
- Think about something in your life you want to talk with God about.
(Simply thinking about something is the prelude to prayer. I would even argue aspects of prayer coexist in thinking about something.)
2. Word blurt these thoughts on paper. It can be full sentences or just a jumble of words and sentence fragments.
For example, if you want to talk with God about your mom your list may look like this:
mom, no retirement funds, widow, home, provide, high blood pressure.
3. Pick One Word from your thoughts. A summary of sorts. Pray it out loud whenever thoughts about this person or need drift into your mind.
Bonus step: ask for a verse to backup the One Word Prayer.
Famous One Word Prayers in the bible.
Hosanna- Save, we pray! (John 12:13)
Koum- Arise! (Mark 5:41)
Ekdikeo- Give me justice! (Luke 18:3)
Practical Praying
Writing this reminded me to pray those simple One Word Prayers again. Sometimes I have to remind myself connecting with God isn’t complicated. In fact He’s right here. One glance, one note or One Word aimed in His direction and the two of us are waltzing together again.
What One Word Prayer can you create today?
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