24/05/2020
HOW DO YOU PRAY DURING THIS TIME OF COVID 19 PANDEMIC
How, then, shall we pray? I’m not talking about theology here, but about how we actually do it. If you have succeeded (tried?) keeping to times where you pray spontaneously, you know how hard it can be to stick to. We might feel in time that is has become stale. It can so easily end up as a hard discipline instead of a time of daily homecoming and joy. Let’s be realistic, though, and admit that we all have occasions when devotional times feel much harder than others. It is a normal experience. At such times, discipline can carry us through what used to be called the ‘Christian’s fainting fits’! At those times, I find that a temporary change of reading plan, or even praying at a different time of day, can really help.
A GENERAL AND SIMPLE ROUTINE
Having worshipped and read from God’s word, we turn to prayer. I find it really helpful to have headings that I can refer to in my prayer times. I’m seeking to remain balanced in my prayer-life. Here’s an example of my own:
Respond to anything that has touched me, even in the simplest way, from my bible reading. I find the Psalms are brilliant for this. We can respond however is appropriate, even if it’s just speaking the words back to God.
– Do I have a major concern or burden on my heart? I need to unload it onto him before I do anything else.
Then, what do I need to ask for regarding:
– myself – perhaps provision, protection, joy, the Holy Spirit, encouragement etc
– My home
– My family and friends
– My work
– In these particular days we need to pray for Doctors, Nurses, Hospital staff, Carers, and of course for the sick, the dying and the grieving.
– For the scientists around the world who are seeking to develop a vaccine.
– For God’s saving work in our family, our locality, region, nation and the world?
This is not a list that we should read out, neither is it an imprisonment. We still have freedom to pray spontaneously, and we can do so around these headings. They are there to give us sustainability and balance. My experience is that some days I can only focus on one or two of them, but I seek to keep a balance across a few days or a week. I might pray into each of them every day. I can change these headings whenever I want to. They are not here to set a goal to be reached; just as an aid.
Could you make your own list? As a balanced guide, not a goal?
You might want to build more of a prayer routine into your daily schedule. How might you pray then? Here’s another very simple framework.
BASIC MORNING AND EVENING
Morning
– Declaring his rule, his faithful promises, over the coming day and laying my life down as a morning sacrifice in spirit and in truth (a commitment, not empty words). This is an offering which the Lord finds holy and acceptable.
– Asking him to govern my ways so that I don’t fall into sin or yield to temptation.
Evening
– Thanksgiving that he has been with me; he has kept me safe in his faithfulness.
– Placing and expressing my trust in him for the coming evening and night.
What about building more regular times of prayer throughout the day? If we are pressed for time or away from home, we can use the Caleb Anchor Points as a brief and simple rhythm of daily prayer. Here it is:
CALEB ANCHOR POINTS
Morning
The Lord’s Prayer
(Find my dynamic version here.) Try not to recite it; start to take it line by line and add flesh to the bones. Do not make it a goal to pray through all of it in this way every day.
Midday
“Be, still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of heaven’s armies is with us;
The God of Jacob is our fortress.
Amen. (Ps 40: 6-10)
Evening
O High King of Heaven, have mercy on our Land.
Revive your Church.
Send the Holy Spirit, for the sake of the lost, the least and the broken.
May your kingdom come to our nation.
In Jesus’ mighty name,
Amen.
Night
The Lord bless us and watch over us; the Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious to us; the Lord look kindly upon us and give us His peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
Here is another model of planning prayer through the day.
Morning
– Personal commitment to walk with God today, secure and trusting him.
– Personal petitions
– Family and friends
– Colleagues
– NHS, isolated, dying, grieving
Lunchtime
– Reflect on his word
– Remember his goodness, his promises, his wisdom
– Recommit yourself to him.
Evening
– Thanksgiving for his faithfulness.
– Reflection on his word.
– Trust for the evening and night.
Night
– Commit you and those you love to the Lord’s care and protection.
From Caleb House of Prayer (Roy Godwin)
