Day 29: A New Prayer

Hey SIS!!! Let’s praise first today!

 

Do you ever get tired of doing the “same old thing”? Have you been stuck in a rut? In today’s chapter, titled “A New Prayer,” Batterson challenges us to question whether we have become so set in how we pray to God that it has become a mindless task filled with “clichés we know, followed by an amen!” It’s good to have spiritual disciplines, but “once the routine becomes routine, we need to change the routine.”

The scripture for today is the first part of Psalm 96:1, which reads “Sing to the Lord a new song.” God loves us! He wants us to express our love towards him in unique, personal, and new ways. For example, wouldn’t it mean so much more if someone made you a handwritten card, compared to a card purchased from the store? That handwritten card is one-of-a-kind, it uses that person’s words—not something mass produced. That would be a special gift! God desires us to give him special prayers. Often when we get into a prayer routine it can become repetitive, ritualistic, and done out of habit. However, God wants us to keep it fresh and creative. Batterson says “He doesn’t want you to worship Him with just your memory; He wants you to worship Him with your imagination as well.”

Here are 10 Ways to Pray A New Prayer:

1)      Create something for God. (e.g. draw a picture, write a poem, take pictures, dance.)

2)     Try a new posture when you pray. (e.g. stand, lay, kneel, write out your prayers)

3)     Pick a new time to pray.

4)    Collect pictures of your prayer requests and put them in your journal. (e.g. if praying for a parent then put their picture in your journal and write a scripture circling them).

5)    Be quiet, close your eyes and listen. This is meditation. Allow God to bring something to your awareness or show you something new. When we are in God’s presence it is a form of worship.

6)    Take a prayer walk. (e.g. walk around your neighborhood and prayer for your neighbors, or family, etc.)

7)     Sing a song for God.

8)    Pray the scriptures. (e.g. find a scripture you connect with, and pray about that scripture.)

9)     Pray with a friend.

10) “Wear your prayers.” Get a t-shirt and use fabric markers to write your prayers on it. Then you can wear your prayers!!!

Batterson says, “God doesn’t want all of us to pray the same way. We pray in keeping with our personality.” It’s OK that we all pray differently. God made us that way, and delights in our individual gifts and styles. We need to find what fits our personality, and let that shine through in our prayers. So, let’s get out of our regular routine and try something new today!

Today we are doing something different! Let’s pray using this scripture:

Psalm 96:1-6

¹ Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
² Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
³ Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvellous deeds among all peoples.

⁴ For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
⁵ For all the gods of the nations are idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
⁶ Splendour and majesty are before him;
    strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

 

 

Post Written By: SIS Chelsea