Preaching on my knees

I can't write a sermon without prayer. I work on my sermons all week. When I sit down to study the Bible I pray to God and ask him to open my eyes and teach me. I ask him to fill me with his Holy Spirit. Then I study and write. While I'm studying I talk to God about what I'm learning. As I write the sermon manuscript I talk to him. My prayers are typically short. The issues I pray about vary. It depends on the subject and situation. My prayers become longer and more earnest if I get stuck or find myself spinning my wheels. I say things to God like: "Forgive all my sins and don't allow anything to hinder my prayers as I study and prepare. I don't have time to be unproductive. I don't want to be distracted or stuck. I need your help now. Please give it to me. Help me. Show me. Give me insight. Open my mind. Insert thoughts, images, memories, or stories. Let me see it in your word. Let me read it or hear it in the material I use as resources. Help me understand. Help me prepare. These are your people. Don’t you want them to understand your word and be inspired to live like Jesus? Inspire me first. Light a fire in me and I will teach them. I sometimes feel like I'm wrestling in prayer as I study and write. It's different. Sort of strange. But that's my ritual every week. I put earplugs in my ears and cover my ears with earmuffs. The earmuffs I use are designed to protect your ears from noisy guns on a shooting range. I wear them to keep noise from distracting me because I have attention problems. When I put them on I often tell God "OK Lord, I'm putting my earplugs in and my earmuffs on because the only voice I want to hear is your voice." Yes, it's different and weird but it helps me feel connected to Jesus and it heightens my spiritual sensitivity. The setting is important. I study in my office and home and the office in my garage. I also like to study in the upper room behind the baptistery in our church. My posture is also important. As I rehearse I sometimes preach while sitting down, standing up, and walking. I also preach them on my knees. I pray over each of the five pages. If I get stuck I tell God about it. I say things like "I don't like this part. I need to find another way to say it. I need to find just the right words. Help me." I repeatedly remind God "These are your people and I'm working hard in preparation so that this message will be meaningful ..." I go on with these prayers until God gets me unstuck. Sometimes I can feel his Spirit move and my heart swells in worship and gratitude for Jesus and all that he has done. Preaching on my knees helps me feel close to God. One of my favorite passages to pondor while thinking along these lines comes from Solomon: Ecclesiastes 12.9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. 11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one Shepherd.