How do you pray?
I was wondering, when you pray, do you have a "formula" that you follow each time, or is it more of a free-flow sort of thing?
When I pray in the morning, I begin with Luther's Morning Prayer. (I didn't always start with this, I only just learned it by heart a few years ago.) Then I pray over the concerns of the coming day - but I must admit, I do so quickly. Morning prayer is not a well-formed habit for me yet.
Throughout the day I stop and say little mini-prayers as a prayer need comes to my attention. For example, if I read in your blog that you have a prayer need, I stop and pray right then and there. Or if I hear a fire truck go by, I'll say a quick little prayer for all involved. That kind of thing. On-the-fly intercessory prayer is a better habit in me. Oh, and prayer before meals is an ingrained habit.
My evening prayers...well, to begin with, I have been saying the same prayer, Luther's Evening Prayer, each night for almost 30 years now! (Do you think God is tired of hearing it? Just kidding...) I learned that prayer when I was in Grade 7. I pray at night either kneeling before my bed, or sometimes I get right in bed. Luther's Evening Prayer, then I pray the Creed, then the Lord's Prayer. Every night. Then I pray about what is on my heart - mostly I pray for others and for my kids. I pray for the three children that I am god-mother to. For our World Vision child. Those things I pray for most nights, sometimes one but not the other. It depends on what's on my heart most.
I am not very good about praying for myself, for my needs, be they spiritual or physical. It's usually the last thing that I pray, if at all. Sometimes I do pray for myself, but it is a real struggle for me. It is, I know, connected to my pride. I'm not trying to excuse this - just stating a fact. Again, it's something that I am working on. I've probably prayed for my own needs more in the last year than I ever have and that is in no small part due to the fact that I'm blogging. Every day I am blessed to have you all as models for me, reminding me by your example that I ought to bring all my cares to Him.
So then, how do you pray?
14 comments:
I start the morning by saying the Lords prayer, then praying for love and protection for my loved ones. Through out the day, I pray for my friends prayer needs, world peace, and like you if I hear an ambulance, or fire truck, I pray for those involved. I end the day by praying for the needs of my family, friends, and world. When I get in bed, this is what I pray each night:Into Your hands this night O Lord I commend my spirit. Into Your ears I pour out all my troubles. Into Your loving heart I humbly confide my sins and failings. Watch over me during this night, that tomorrow I may serve and praise You. Amen"
Luther's Morning and Evening prayers bring back such great memories of grade school and Confirmation for me. I use the mini-prayer system as well. If I don't pray for someone right away, my prayer list may get too long and I would forget. I have been toying with the idea of a prayer book, but I haven't done it yet. I say my morning prayers on my knees and I always pray the Lord's Prayer first. At night, I always pray in bed before I go to sleep. It relaxes me and fills me with peace. I usually drift right off to sleep after I thank God for my day and lay my worries on Him.
Oh! And our before meals prayer is the same one that we said evey single day before lunch during my grade school days: "Our hands we fold, our heads we bow. For food and drink we thank Thee now. Amen." Simple, sweet, and short enough that my littlest DD can remember it. :)
Every Lutheran I know knows the "Common Table Prayer": "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen."
Oh I know that one too!! :-) We always used that one at the start of every single church pot luck supper. And we had LOTS of those! Actually, we used it at the start of EVERY church meal ever, like spaghetti dinners and sauerbraten suppers.
Anita, I don't remember ever seeing/hearing those prayers until now. (although I know of Martin Luther) I love them!
I don't have a "formula" and share in same that I pray for needs of those that become known here immediately.
"On-the-fly intercessory prayer is a better habit in me."
I loved this!! I also pray when I hear sirens, etc. or when passing highway accidents.
I like to pray at night after my family is in bed. Less distractions...
Although I know the Lord's prayer, I don't recite it verbatim during prayer time. I was taught from a young child to just use it as a "model" and to keep my prayer on a personal level.
I like to have praise and worship music playing very softly. I usually pray kneeling at the foot of my bed. It ususally takes a few minutes to clear my mind of all the day's activities and so forth and then I begin by thanking Him and "loving" Him for who He is in my life. Praising and worshipping. I have found this helps lead me into the "throne room."
I pray for my family, friends or whatever the Holy Spirit would have me intercede for.
I, like you, find it difficult to pray for my own needs, so these are usually shuffled to the back, but I have also found that while praying for others, the Lord meets my needs! Know what I mean?
Time alone is vital to our relationship with Christ just as time alone with our spouse is. Just as we still communicate with our spouse throughout the day, we should do the same with our Lord. Prayer should be a continual state of our heart.
That's a good idea to have some appropriate music - I never thought of that before.
One thing that I forgot to mention is that I wish my husband would pray with me more. I know that he often prays FOR me, but he is very shy about praying in front of me.
My style is similar to Debbie's. I start with praise and thanksgiving for who He is and what He has done. Sometimes that's enough. and then sometimes I lay my requests and burdens before Him.
I also pray when I hear sirens and pray immediately when a request becomes known to me.
I feel like these days I have a continual conversation going with the Big Guy. I'm sweeping and talking. I'm washing dishes and praising. I'm nursing and listening.
I'm also often guilty of sending up too many flare prayers and not spending enough quality time alone with the Lord.
Oh Sara I think that's just lovely, how you decribed having a constant flow of prayer going on - incorporated into everyday life stuff. Living and communing with Him - beautiful.
I'm a free-flow pray-er.
I pray for my blog buddies whenever they request it.
My hubby is a minister, so we've done a GREAT deal of praying over the years.
Chuckling here, Jamie Dawn...I suspect that your hubby gets asked to pray at EVERY gathering, am I right? 'Cause if there's a pastor in the room, well then HE should pray of course!
Have had this tab open since Thursday wanting to comment...just haven't been able to find the right amount of time to do it justice.
I also pray throughout the day like what Sara describes because that is often when I or someone seem to need it most. I've tried keeping a list so I can "pray later" over needs but that system never worked for me. Toomany needs fell by the wayside.
I try to pray "in the moment" when a need is great and on my mind. With my raging ADD, if I don't do it then, I may never remember! *wink* I also use "in the moment" moments to simply listen to what He would say to me at that point in time.
In Moms In Touch Prayer gruop, we use a 4-step format that I have grown used to; I start with Praise - praising God for who He is. Confession - get rid of sin so that God will here my prayer. Thanksgiving for answered prayer and all He is doing in my life. Intercession - praying for others.
Like many others have said, I pray all through the day, like Sara said, a continual conversation in my mind with Christ.
I'm like Debbie. I use the Lord's Prayer as a model. I always start by thanking Him and praising Him.
I also immediately say a prayer for anyone that I come across that has a need.
Ditto on the prayers when I hear a siren or drive by an accident.
I usually also say a quick prayer for people I come across when I am in town. Such as homeless, or people that just look like they are down and out. I pray for young people that look outrageous just so they can get attention (love is what they really want).
I also pray for daily protection of all God's saints on this earth.
Another part of my daily prayer is to ask God for His guidance and wisdom in all that I say and do.
Whoever God lays on my heart
gets prayed for also.
I guess you could say that my day is made up of many mini-prayers. I also pray at night before bedtime.
My hubby is a bit shy about praying aloud too, but he is slowly getting over it. We all take turns praying at mealtimes. Hubby asks the breakfast blessing, I ask the lunch blessing, and Carissa asks the supper blessing. We make it short and to the point by saying, "Heavenly Father, Thank you for this food and we ask that you will bless it for the nourishment of our bodies. In Jesus' Name, Amen".
Another thought I meant to share: I used to use a "prayer frame" like this too:
A - adoration
C - confession
T - thanksgiving
S - supplication
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