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PRAYING IN OUR CURRENT CRISIS

As wanna-be prayer warriors, you might be feeling “I should pray more” in this current distancing, isolating, quarantining crisis. Of course, you might feel this anytime. A lot of people who follow Jesus feel that way often.

I know I should pray but I also know that I don’t tend to do this systematically — as a wandering pray-er I tend to do different things on different days. That works for me. And if that describes you then stop putting pressure on yourself to fit into someone else’s prayer mode. God knows you and wants to hear from you 

Let me give you some ideas and I’ll bet you come up with some of your own. We can pray creatively, using our own personality and style. God wants you to pray from the heart and not just the ways people say you should. 

1. Set Up a Designated Prayer Space in Your Home – This could be tricky with people being stuck at home as you might not have a space you can set aside. But it could be a flexible space used for other things but where you specifically go to pray so you can, by context, help yourself get into the prayer mindset. Could be a space that is your prayer space at a certain time each day. There is a sacredness in setting aside time as well as place to commune with God.

You can set your space based on a room or seating or an object that inspires you. It could be:

-a room if you have a spare – that would give you the most space to set up some prayer stations if you like. A sunroom, porch, guest room or den (do people still have dens?) could be ideal as it might not be used a lot otherwise. You don’t have to totally repurpose the room. Add or change some elements to help it be a good spot for you to pray

-using candles during your prayer time. Light them to start and extinguish to end your time and help you focus. There is also something calming in candlelight. Some people like scented ones while others do not. You get to choose!

-in front of a fireplace that can be a great part of a prayer station/room. Like candlelight it creates atmosphere for prayer and/or a visual focus as you meditate on God or scripture. It could be a place on a rug or a chair or couch.

-an out of the way corner like a furnace or laundry room – That might seem odd but it could also be cozy and separate from the busyness of your house. My regular quiet time/office at home is in the 3/4 height basement/furnace room of our side split. Luckily I’m not that tall so I fit this space that we call The Bat Cave. It’s great for work or quiet time. 

If you opt for the laundry room, you could even throw clean clothes in the dryer to provide white noise that separates you from the rest of the household activity. If this feels too busy or like chores that distract from prayer then do not do it. Your main reason for being there in your prayer time is focusing on God not the rinse cycle.

-a specific chair and side table. We had a chair and footstool that were set aside in our office at our last house that was the designated the “Jesus chair”. It was set aside as a spot for us to do our quiet times. At the time we had a larger house and there was room for an extra prayer chair. 

-the end of the couch with a bookshelf or side table to put your journal or prayer resources

-in front of a window where you can see the beauty of creation to help you focus [maybe not a street view as you might get distracted, but whatever works for you]. I enjoy the sun shining in our back window where I can see trees, and often birds or squirrels playing. It’s naturally beautifully and reminds me of God.

-in front of a picture or a cross that helps you to centre your thoughts on Jesus.

PART TWO  OF PRAYING IN OUR CURRENT CRISIS COMING SOON…

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