Soaking Prayer

The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul… Psalm 23:1-2

Jesus invites us to drink deeply from the living water that satisfies our deepest longings. The Tierra Nueva staff and worshipping community regularly participate in private and corporate contemplative prayer. While we are no longer offering regularly scheduled soaking prayer, we occasionally have special events. Watch the upcoming events page for more information.

Today's demanding culture constantly pulls us away from a place of peace and contemplation. God longs to lead us beside still waters, where we can find rest for our souls.

Thoughout Scripture, the call is given to God’s children to “be still and know that I am God." It is from this call that the tradition of contemplative prayer and soaking prayer grows.

Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2

In soaking prayer and contemplative prayer, time is made to rest and be in God’s presence. There is no striving towards any end, but merely resting in God’s love and opening up in receptivity to this love.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 37:7

The key to soaking prayer is intimacy. There is a deep need in every one of us to be known and loved by God. We know God in many ways. Most are familiar with theology that is an intellectual knowledge of God’s character as revealed in the Bible. However, there is another way of knowing, as lived through experiences. This is how the truth of God begins to intersect with our own lives and radically transform us. The Bible is really just a book of stories of men and women whose lives were changed through divine encounters.

Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Psalm 4:4

What does soaking prayer look like? Some people like to lie down, some like to sit still. The main thing is to be in a safe place so you can be vulnerable and free from distractions. Set your affection on Jesus. This may be facilitated by listening to intimate worship music with meaningful words. As you reflect on the person of Christ and your longing for God, you might become aware of the Holy Spirit’s unseen presence. People experience God in many ways. You can stay in this space until you sense that it is time to go.

For more information, call 360-755-5299, or visit the "Upcoming Events" link at left.

Tierra Nueva • PO Box 161, Burlington, WA 98233 • 360-755-0768