Here are some suggestions for prayer in the middle of the day.
- Thank God for blessing you thus far this day.
Hear from God
- Ask God to sharpen your mind and soften your heart to receive His word.
- Read a passage of scripture.
- Thank God for speaking to you in His word.
- Confess any ways you have fallen short of God’s word.
- Ask for help in applying this scripture.
Speak to God
- The Lord’s Prayer
- Thank God for sending Jesus to live and die to save you.
- Thank God for His many blessings bestowed upon you.
- Pray for your family and friends and their special needs.
- Pray for your church and community and their special needs.
- Pray for your nation and the world according to current events and needs.
- Pray for God to continue to help you in your work this day.
- Thank God for His presence and for hearing your prayers.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Notes
Daily prayer always includes two components: scripture and prayers. Often there is not time for reading long passages of scripture, so one psalm or one chapter might be appropriate. Then we respond to God’s word in our own prayers.
Prayer is a conversation between two people: you and God. A conversation is when two people take turns talking. God speaks to us in scripture and by the Holy Spirit. Some people say the Bible contains the word of God, but that is false. The words in the Bible are God’s words, and when you read or hear the Bible, you are hearing God. God is speaking to you! God also speaks to your spirit by His Spirit. The primary way God’s Spirit speaks to us is along with the scripture. So when you read or hear the scripture, God is speaking though the words on the page, and the Holy Spirit is speaking to your spirit confirming and applying those words.
We respond to God’s voice by talking to Him. When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He gave them the Lord’s Prayer with instruction to say it. (Luke 11:2) So we include the Lord’s Prayer as part of our response. When we offend someone, we apologize; so we confess ways in which we fall short of God’s commands. When we learn what God expects of us, we ask Him to direct us in obedience to His word. Then we tell God anything that is on our minds. Particularly we ask God to bless our friends, community, and the world. A hymn reminds us, “Thou art coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring.” God may not grant all your requests, but nothing is too big (or small!) to ask of Him.
David Green 