What do you envision when you pray?

[Serving4Christ]

Even as a little child, I've always had a hard time finding that perfect image of God when I pray.  I'm interested to know what you see in your minds eye when you pray to God.

Is it a cross?  Is it an image of Christ?  What do you see when you close your eyes?

I'm a Christian looking to deepen my fellowship with the Lord.  I'm always thinking I'm doing someting wrong or I'm not visioning the right things...  

Sometimes I wonder if I'm normal with what I see when I pray. 

Any thoughts?  

I'm just looking to grow deeper, rooted on the Vine, and pruned by the Vine Dresser. 

 

[GraftMeIn]

I see myself when I pray, as nothing but a sinner needing forgiveness by the blood of Christ. And needing Him to cleanse my ways thoroughly, by teaching and guiding me in all I say and do.

 

[Blade]

There's nothing wrong with wanting to see Jesus. We all want that. Most of the time when I pray I keep my eyes open. Or just close my eyes and hear.

 

[*Drops~Of~Jupiter*]

I usually have my eyes open when I pray too

 

[seebs]

I don't really envision much of anything. My wife says that, much of the time, she thinks of God as a big fat laughing black woman - sorta like Aunt Jemima, only heavier, and laughing all the time.

For me, I dunno, nothing that well formed or concrete. I occasionally think in terms of seeing the world as it is - a tiny little blue speck in the middle of nothingness, infinitely precious and oh so very small. God is certainly detail-oriented.

 

[Blessed-one]

uh? your wife definitely has some imagination, seebs. Let's see...

John 4:24 "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

when i pray, there is no image in my mind, my focus is on the words that i say out silently in the head and on a God somewhere... maybe inside my head too as He is everywhere. But definitely no image whatsoever.

 

[reeann]

I view God as my Heavenly Father. I see myself as a little child. I know that any image is wrong but sometimes it helps me realize the relationship is one of child to Father... it helps me not be so full of myself and listen.

Sometimes pictures can illustrate a lesson (like parables) to help us understand. But we must be careful, also, not to define God in terms of our limitations.

 

[AlabamaMan]

I picture the things I am praying about, if its a person I picture them, if its a need I picture the need being met. I little different I guess.

 

[Amy]

I try not to envision God when I pray, that's for sure. I do not want to be prayng to some made up image that really doesn't exist - and therefore won't hear and answer. Sometimes I even say something like, "God, the Creator, the only true God - it is You I am praying to, not some idea or image I might have of You."

 

[seebs]

Yesterday at 12:45 AM Blessed-one said this in Post #6 (http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?postid=657878#post657878)

uh? your wife definitely has some imagination, seebs.

Yeah, she's a writer. She doesn't actually think God *looks* like that - it's just the image that comes to mind sometimes. One of the things I like about her is that, in her view of the world, God is happy.

 

[Terri]

No image for me either!!

 

[Ratioann]

Cool question...
When I do picture something, I picture feet
Since I don't know what He looks like really and I'm kneeling down...
I look at His feet

 

[luigi028]

Sometimes when we're praising God, (I'm the drummer in my church) I filter out the people and I imagine I am playing for God in heaven. Sometimes I picture Jesus much like a spirit, like a man with a white robe and no face but bright white light instead.

Now I know some people may think that this is bad, blah, blah, but I'm an extremely visual person and everything I imagine I see in a lot of detail so I can't help it. Obviously God's beauty will exceed what I imagine in infinite amounts.

Aunt Jemima? WHEW now that's weird

028

 

[Glenn316]

Well I often visualize what I'm praying about. I really don't have a vision of Christ or anything. I'll imaging a wall when praying about protection, or angles standing guard over someone. Frank Peretti's book "This Present Darkness" helped me be more visual in my praying!

 

[pandora]

nothing. all i'm doing is talking like i'm talking to someone on a hands free cell-phone. He's listening to what i'm saying. i dont need to set doves free or anything to do it. He's in my life every second of every day.. and if i'm doing continual prayer i gotta be multitasking all over the place -- not time toget into "envision mode" 

 

[mistertee49]

I think we need to pray when and where the Holy Spirit tells us. But I think I like to invision our Heavenly Father on this throne and the Holy Spirit unwrapping our petitions before him and pleading our case to him.

 

[reeann]

Yesterday at 09:43 PM mistertee49 said this in Post #16

I think we need to pray when and where the Holy Spirit tells us. But I think I like to invision our Heavenly Father on this throne and the Holy Spirit unwrapping our petitions before him and pleading our case to him.

i like that

 

[ziggy1952]

When I pray I'm always humbled by the fact that I'm coming before God's Throne of Grace. This alone is almost more than I can  imagine, seeing how I can come before a Holy God, seeing how that I'm so unworthy. It really boggles my mind. But Praise  the Lord we can,because of His shed blood.  

 

[MyangelDems]

i usually pray in white, just me alone in a very white room is how it seems to me when im praying, but when God is showing me something or I'm praying about someone I might see them or their situations, thats usually the case, i see alot of vibrant colors when praying. Dont know if that sounds odd or not.

 

[nomad]

 

One of the things I like about her is that

Well Seebs, I'm glad there is something you like about your wife.

For me when I pray it's like I am actually there with the people I am praying for or with.  I don't try to visualize anything, I listen and respond.  It's as if I am transported there to be with the person or persons.  That somehow I see with eyes of a spirit that sees without barrier of anykind.  Nothing can be hidden there, tho I don't always understand what it is I see.  It is if I am actually that person sometimes, walking inside of them, in there shoes so to speak.  It is with that I know how to support them with prayer.  It is with that I have come to know the deep pain and struggles of my beloved brothers and sisters out there. 

Face to face you may be shy of telling me, for fear I may look down on you or for some other reason, but with these eyes I see beyond and want you to know I care, I know how you feel.

When I pray for anybody that is how it is.  When I pray to God and ask Him to show me, there you are teaching me.

This is deep I know, but so is the Truth.  I just want all of my brothers and sisters to be Blessed.