Time to Pray
Day 1 : Making time for prayer in the midst of our busy world is difficult, but essential for spiritual growth.
I am in the process of editing and rewriting some of these Discipleship Prayers posts for publication next year. These will be periodically reposted for paid subscribers, including the use of the brand new audio feature that allows you to listen to me read the article!
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Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. ~Psalm 143:8~
Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith. ~1 Thessalonians 3:10~
Mornings get a bad rap in a busy, sleep-deprived, burn-the-midnight-oil-then-get-up-and-get-to-work world where every day becomes a grind; a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual battle just to survive. On the other end, our evenings are filled with playing to-do list catch-up, children’s extra-curricular activities, keeping up with even the most minimal of household chores, and so much more.
We are busy.
Too busy.
Always moving but rarely arriving at the place we desire to be.
“...if I were to let my life be taken over by what is urgent, I might very well never get around to what is essential. It's so easy to spend your whole time being preoccupied with urgent matters and never starting to live, really live.” (Henry Nouwen, Letters to Marc About Jesus)
When was the last time you let yourself ease into the new day, sipping a coffee while watching the sunrise from below the horizon to shining brightly in the morning sky? Have you ever walked in the fresh, dew-covered grass, enjoying the brisk coolness of the morning before the world begins to awake?
“The first hour of the morning is the rudder of the day.” (Henry Ward Beecher)
As a culture, we no longer sit on the front porch chatting with neighbors and passers bye as the day cools down into the evening. Instead, we spend our time driving from garage to parking lot, entertained via headphones, televisions, and phones. We are both more connected than ever while at the same time being increasingly disengaged in the lives of the people around us. We are either so consumed by a drive to achieve—or so distracted by those things which keep us from achieving—that…
…we fail to see the value of, and the opportunities for, the meaningful interactions that each day holds.
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” (Robert Louis Stevenson)
In Genesis, both work and rest are prescribed to humanity. Work is good and necessary, not only as a means of caring for our families and the community in which we live but as a part of our God-given vocation of caring for the created world in which we live. Rest, in the same way, is good and necessary, providing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual renewal that we need.
Our lives are filled daily with work. The exception, of course, is the Sabbath, a day reserved for rest and doing good (Mark 3:4).
This Sabbath rest is to be a time of remembering all that God has done, trusting in God’s provision as we step away from our own efforts to provide for ourselves, and entering into a time of fellowship with family, friends, and our community.
“[Sabbath] declares in bodily ways that we will not participate in the anxiety system that pervades our social environment. We will not be defined by busyness and by acquisitiveness and by pursuit of more...” (Walter Brueggemann, Sabbath as Resistance)
In the same way that God has given us the gift of Sabbath (yes, it is a gift when we realize fully its purpose and power to transform our lives in meaningful ways), we might also consider arranging our daily schedule with one or more “Sabbath moments”—short periods of time to intentionally and purposefully separate ourselves from the busyness and distractions of the day for the purpose of praising God, praying, practicing hospitality, and putting our priorities in proper perspective. These Sabbath moments could take a variety of forms:
Waking up 30 minutes before the rest of the household;
A post-lunch “pillow retreat” while the kids take a nap;
Sitting silently in the car for a few moments after work before driving home;
A morning walk or evening stroll, alone or with a friend;
Sitting around the table sharing with family the things for which we are thankful;
John Wesley’s mother, Susanna, was said to sit at the kitchen table with a towel over her head as household activities continued all around her. During those few moments, everyone knew that she was not to be bothered. I have found morning walks to be a time of refreshing reflection and preparation for the day ahead.
Find something that works for you and do it well and do it consistently.
During one moment of personal prayer and reflection, while thinking about how, as a father, I could lead my family in the art of prayer, reflection, and good Sabbath rest, the Spirit gave to me a prayer. This “Discipleship Prayer” can be used at any time of the day, in part or in whole, every day or once a week, or however you find that it best helps you in your grace-filled journey of transformation into Christlikeness.
This prayer, and the readings I have created to give explanation and meaning to each line and phrase, I hope will be a blessing and an encouragement to you. Each chapter will focus on a line or phrase from the prayer along with related Scripture, quotes, song lyrics, journal reflections, and more. How and when you use each day’s reading is completely up to you. My primary encouragement to you is to not read these words only with the goal of simply doing your devotional duty, but rather with the hope of interacting with God, being strengthened by the Holy Spirit, and growing in Christlikeness.
“The Lord bless you and protect you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you,
and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace.”’ (Numbers 6:24-26 NET)
Key points—
Making time for prayer in the midst of our busy world is difficult, but essential for spiritual growth.
Our busy lives often make it difficult to see the opportunities for meaningful interactions with family, friends, and people around us.
The first step to meaningful personal discipleship growth is to make time each day for prayer and quiet reflection.
Pray—
Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit working in me, please help me find the time to spend with you in prayer and reflection each day. I want to know you better and to be a brighter light in my world. Thank you for all you have done, are doing, and will do in my life. In Jesus’ name, according to your purpose and plan. Amen.