EquippedMama

[Week One: How]

I get it. Really. You decided you needed to start praying for your little ones. Perhaps you are praying as an antidote to the worries that overwhelm you when looking at the craziness of the world. Perhaps you haven’t been in the habit of praying because your kids wake up before you do and once they finally go to bed you’re too exhausted to focus. Perhaps you’ve secretly considered resuming your prayer life when your children are older…

In the next few weeks we will be exploring practical methods for implementing prayer into your life without requiring a babysitter or grandparent intervention. These methods are simple, but should allow you some practical guidelines for integrating prayer time into your busy life.

So, how do you integrate prayer into your life?

Step One- Remember who God is.

O Lord, you have been our protector through all generations.

² Even before the mountains came into existence,

or you brought the world into being,

you were the eternal God.

³ You make mankind return to the dust,

and say, “Return, O people.”

⁴ Yes, in your eyes a thousand years

are like yesterday that quickly passes,

or like one of the divisions of the nighttime.

⁵ You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.”

In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up:

⁶ In the morning it glistens and sprouts up;

at evening time it withers and dries up.

⁷ Yes, we are consumed by your anger;

we are terrified by your wrath.

⁸ You are aware of our sins;

you even know about our hidden sins.

¹¹ Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger?

Your raging fury causes people to fear you.

¹² So teach us to consider our mortality,

so that we might live wisely.

¹³ Turn back toward us, O Lord.

How long must this suffering last?

Have pity on your servants.

¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your loyal love.

Then we will shout for joy and be happy all our days.

Psalm 90:1-14 NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

I think one of the reasons we as moms can so miserably fail in our prayer lives is that we forget who God is. We make God small in our minds, so we pray small things- like, “let me have a good day today” or “please keep the cows from escaping before my husband can retrieve them.” We pray inconsequential things because we do not take the time to consider who it is that we pray to. If this ignorance of God is a hinderance to your prayer take time to meditate on this passage. It is rich with truths about who God is. Sit down with a journal or your notetaking app on your phone and write down all the truths outlined here about the character and nature of God. A few are listed below to get you thinking…

• God is eternal-v. 1
• God is our protector- and the protector of all people- v. 1
• God is our creator, bringing everything into being- v. 2
• God dictates the length of our life- v. 3 (also v. 5).

When you have had the chance to compile your list, put it somewhere you can see it. Maybe take your phone with you to the bathroom and review the list or put it on the microwave so you can read it as you warm up your child’s afternoon snack. Make it available so you can see it throughout the day.

Secondly, turn your list into worship. Worship is at the heart of prayer, because it reorients our focus to who God is. Worship for the Lord should come from an understanding of who He is- and in contrast who we are not. As you focus on the truths you have found, your heart should be drawn to worship. But, realistically, what if you don’t feel like it?

If we worship God only when we feel the experience of Him, our worship lives become shallow and dependent on extrinsic factors. Worship is an attitude that proceeds from a heart and mind steeped in God’s Word.

“Not Primary Colors”, Hager, Jon. pg. 25-26.

Take time to be steeped in God’s Word. If you cannot find the attitude to worship, consider reading Isaiah 6 or Revelation 1 and ask the Lord to allow you to see Him for who he truly is. Make this a priority, knowing that the Lord “rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 b). Seek the Lord, look for characteristics of who he is in Scripture, and as you find them, worship the Lord for these things.

Step Two: Remember who you are.

This Psalm is a great reality check for who we are in comparison to who God is. As you approach your prayer life, consider some of the less flattering truths revealed in this passage (and throughout the Bible).We are sinners- and what’s more, the Lord knows our sins (v. 8). We are mortal (v. 12) and we need the mercy of God (v. 13). As you approach the Lord with your requests, remembering who you are should help keep you from feelings of entitlement. The Lord has given us everything we have, and anything that we seek from him is only his mercy and grace. So as you approach your prayer life, be mindful of who you are- an heir of God (Romans 8:17) but only because of his love for you (John 3:16). Allow these truths to shape your prayers to include confessing your sins and thanking him for his goodness to you!

Step Three: Remember your time is short. This Psalm encourages us to remember our own mortality (v. 12)- but it is also an important reminder to consider the finite amount of time you have to influence your children. Do not take for granted that you have eighteen years for them to live under your roof. Pray for them like it matters. Like you have a God that answers prayer and that desires to answer prayer. Because it does, and you do.

Consider starting a prayer journal and writing down your prayer requests- and how the Lord answers them, it will increase your faith! Allow there to be reminders to pray around your home, car, phone or desk so that you are constantly reminded how to pray- 1. with a right view of who God is, 2. with a right view of who you are and 3. with the awareness that your time is short.