Scheduled Prayer

I got to teach on prayer last night at our Summer Roundtable (and again this Wednesday).  Loved our time in Luke 11:5-13 as we discussed prayer.

I had so many great conversations with our folks about how they are progressing in their prayer lives.  It made me so excited about the upcoming study, “The Battle Plan for Prayer.”

With all this talk on prayer, we can run the risk of getting excited about prayer without actually accomplishing it.  Instead of merely getting energized about prayer, I need to ensure that I set myself up for success.

I have to make practical steps to ensure I will be persistent in prayer.

While many prayer times are spontaneous, much of our time should actually be scheduled.

Read Jesus’ description of how he said we should pray in Matthew 6:5-8.

Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people.  I assure you: They’ve got their reward!  But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.  When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.  Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him.

What can we learn about prayer from this passage?

  1. Prayer should seek God’s approval rather than Man’s attention.
  2. Private prayer is more critical than public prayer.
  3. Honest contrition is better than polished repetition.

Jesus also teaches the benefit of having a sacred space designated for meeting with God.  Do you have a private room designated for prayer?  A prayer closet?  A special spot?  A place and time you meet with God?

You may not have the physical space in your home to claim as a private prayer sanctuary, but you can make some adjustments to set yourself up for success when it comes to prayer.

It’s time to get practical.  How could you reclaim a space and a time in your home to pray regularly?  If your favorite chair is cluttered with distractions and your desk is covered in pressing needs, it is hard to focus upon God.  Is there something you can do to reclaim a spot?

Pray and commit this blueprint to God and get to work on it today!