A guide for daily prayer
This prayer guide is designed to help you be aware, available, and attentive to God’s Presence.
It has 2 parts . . . guides for Morning and Evening prayer times.
We hope that, eventually, praying this will become a regular and normal thing you do.
Memorizing it might be helpful for you, but you don’t have to.
Simply knowing the basic pattern is all you need:
Still, Trust, Ask . . . Sense, Savour, Share . . . Leave
Please adapt it to make it fit you.
You can download a copy to take with you.
Morning Prayer
Begin
God, You have made this new day.
Fill me with joy and gladness for it.
Sit silently, comfortably, free of distractions.
Closing your eyes might help. Background music helps some people too.
Pray something like:
(inhale) Surely You are in this place.
(exhale) Help me notice.
Continue this simple prayer with each breath, until you feel ready to move on.
Pray
As you think about this new day, consider . . .
- Who might you be encountering or spending time with?
- What are you grateful for?
- What are you looking forward to?
- What are you worried about?
- Are there burdens you have brought from yesterday?
offer these to God. You might not have a particular request. Just think of them, aware of God to Whom your heart is ope
Leave
As you began, so finish with this. Become more aware and available to God’s Presence.
(inhale) Wherever I go, You are there.
(exhale) Help me notice.
Continue until you feel ready to move on.
Evening Prayer
Sit silently, comfortably, free of distractions.
Closing your eyes might help. Background music helps some people too.
Pray something like:
(inhale) Surely You are in this place.
(exhale) Help me notice.
Continue this simple prayer with each breath, until you feel ready to move on.
Trust
God loves you. God’s words and actions are always with love for you. Sit in this truth.
God, I trust You. Strengthen my trust.
Ask
Ask God to lead you through this prayer time.
God, still me and open me to You.
Use my memories, reflections, and emotions
to speak to me what I need to receive.
Sense
Think about the day. Give thanks for everything you can think of, no matter how small. Did you experience a sense of God’s Presence in those things? Was there something God used to nudge your sense?
God, when did I SENSE Your Presence?
Savour
Now give time to savour any experience(s) and/or realizations of God’s Presence. Savouring gives time. Savouring lingers. Savouring relaxes. Savouring focuses. Savouring gives attention. Savouring appreciates. Savouring delights, enjoys, relishes.
God, help me SAVOUR being with You.
Then, enjoy.
Share
Is there someone you can strengthen and encourage, by sharing your experience of God? Or perhaps a community of people — family, friends, a small group, your congregation, your minister? Is it difficult for your to share with them? Why? Can you move through this difficulty? How? (Some find that journaling about their experiences of God helps them to share.)
God, help me SHARE my experience of You with. . . .
Anticipate
Think about what might be happening over the next while. Ask for God’s help.
Whatever happens, You will be there.
Lead me in the way of Jesus.
Leave
(inhale) Wherever I go, you are there.
(exhale) Help me notice.
Continue until you feel ready to go. Then, leave this time of attentive prayer. Go, and continue to be in God’s Presence.