Daily Prayer in a Busy Time

Writing about the importance of daily prayer during this busy time of year may seem about as wise as paddling upstream, but here we go anyway.

A member of the congregation I serve runs regularly. She struggles with reading the Bible daily. My life is just the opposite: I read Scripture regularly, but I struggle with even doing a little bit of exercise every day. We joke with each other quite often about this and try to encourage one another. My guess is that she sees exercise as absolutely indispensable, just something you do everyday if you want to maintain the life and body that God has given. The more I have thought about it, I see daily prayer and Scripture reading the same way.

So here are a few suggestions for getting that practice going in your own life:

1. Set aside a certain time of day. If we don't plan for it, it won't happen. You will have plenty of opportunities throughout the day for spontaneous prayer, but this is dedicated time to listen to God through God's word and to speak to God in prayer. I like to set aside morning time, since that is when I have the most energy, so I can give my "first fruits" to God (see Deuteronomy 26).

2. Find a reading plan. Whether you use a one year Bible or find a reading plan online, there are plenty to choose from. I find that reading a portion of the Psalms, the Gospels, the Old Testament, the New Testament and a chapter from Proverbs works for me.

3. Pray. Pray for the church, the world and all those who are in need. Two indispensable parts of my regular prayer life are the Psalms and the Lord's prayer.

4. When you fall down, get back up again. There will be a time when you will miss a day, or two, or ten. Instead of dwelling on what you didn't get done, get back in the game. Start today. What is the old adage? The best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago. The second best time is today.

In case you're curious, the format I use is below. I have tried all kinds of different devotional books, prayer books, prayer guides, etc. and keep gravitating back to this same pattern. Find what works for you and stick to it.

Opening versicle: O Lord, open my lips and my mouth shall declare your praise (from Psalm 51).
Gloria Patri: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit...
Psalms: one or two
Opening prayer
Gospel reading: part of a chapter
New Testament reading: part of a chapter
Old Testament reading: usually a full chapter
Proverbs: a corresponding chapter with the day of the month
Intercessory prayer for the church, the world, and those in need
Lord's Prayer
Closing prayer and blessing

That may sound ambitious, but I think the whole process takes about twenty minutes.

Comment and Engage: So what have you found most helpful about reading the Scriptures and praying every day? What have you found most frustrating?