I was sitting down to write this article on prayer and realized I hadn’t prayed yet today. Well, I hadn’t taken time to do intentional prayer about the great themes of prayer in the Lord’s prayer. So, I took some time, and I prayed about those great themes of prayer the Lord teaches us, and I mentioned people by name under the broad categories of Kingdom, Needs, and Forgiveness.

In reality, I had already prayed countless times before I got around to my practice of prayer that is planned and focused. I tell you that to encourage you. You can pray even if you miss your planned, disciplined time for prayer. I woke up this morning and found that my day had opened up due to a cancellation. I thanked God for the extra time. I saw an email that someone was doing something that was an amazing blessing to me - a great answer to prayer. I rejoiced and thanked God. I called a friend to share the good news. I had two visits this morning that required driving across town. I prayed silently as I drove there, and I sang worship songs and felt like I had Jesus in the car seat next to me, and I was singing - yup, that’s you Lord! The first visit hit a snag that was really frustrating. I stopped and asked the Lord to help me not to be angry about the things outside my control. My second meeting was a real blessing. I was still thanking God about that earlier email.

In some ways, I never stopped praying. I have become convinced that God is real, present, and available. My day is sometimes just a constant conversation with God. Yes, I have unholy thoughts when a bad driver cuts in front of me, and I talk to God about that. So, if there is a tip to prayer, it may start with “never stop praying.” Learn to live your life before God. The reality is that God is always present.  He always sees and hears.

I am helped in my awareness of God’s constant presence by intentional, planned, prayer. It’s the kind of prayer that is an appointment of sorts. It’s good to have a regular time and a quiet place for that kind of prayer.

For years, the petitions of the Lord’s prayer have guided a time of morning prayer that follows my reading of scripture. Honestly, I’m less disciplined about it than I used to be, and I hope to regain consistency in that time. I have a card box with people’s names who are in three categories: Kingdom, Needs and Forgiveness.  People who are taking the kingdom of God forward in missions or ministry get prayed for under “your kingdom come.” The leaders of our church get prayed for under that same category. I pray for people I know who aren’t following Jesus, or who walked away from the church. Under needs (give us this day our daily bread), I pray for people I know who are suffering, and people who asked me to pray for them and I said I would. I pray for the forgiveness of my own sins, and I highlight the big areas of sin and struggle in my life - at least the ones of which I’m aware.  Under “forgive our debtors”  I pray for my enemies - those who have hurt me and are unrepentant. I ask God’s blessings on them and pray for grace for me to fully forgive. I pray that we may be reconciled.  I realize there are ways I was in the wrong to which I’m blind. I’m open to understanding that.

A newer prayer practice for me is to pray in line with scripture:  to focus on a verse or two, or theme or two, in the passages I read in my bible in a day. My current bible reading plan has me reading in four places in scripture at one time, and allows me five lazy days a month to still read the whole bible in a year. When something I read moves me, I go back and read it again, and mull over it the way a wine expert tastes wine. I pray about it, I pray for it, I worship. This morning I read

Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! (Ps. 80:7 ESV)

The psalm was really about their disappointment with God, but the idea of God’s face shining on them kept coming up. It hit me, partly because of an old song I know from that text. I spent some brief moments asking God to shine his light in my heart today - to brighten my face, to open my eyes to see him.

Many great books have been written on prayer. I’m just giving you three kinds of prayer and ways of prayer that are helping me. I hope something there helps you grow in love for Christ.

In Him,

Don