Tall Monastic Guy: Denver daily prayer...

March 28, 2011

Denver daily prayer...

I gotta share an encouraging development going on in my life and work in these past couple weeks. For years I’ve tried my hand at several ways of getting into a habitual rhythm of daily prayer. I’ve got a stack of books about daily devotionals. I’ve got prayer beads and a variety of great prayers I can pray with them. I’ve got candles on my desk, apps on my phone, etc. etc. The need to train my muscles for game time ministry is apparent but sticking to any sustainable discipline is hard.

What I’ve learned is that it’s difficult to sustain a regular rhythm of prayer if the plan isn’t 1) communal: Am I praying in the company of my community? 2) missional- Am I praying in a way that integrates with my life and work in the city?

After weeks of having it recommended, I finally grabbed Common Prayer: A liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, which spins the traditional Book of Common Prayer into a daily reading of scripture and liturgy that specifically emphasizes issues of justice and poverty. This has been an excellent resource and I'm grateful for all the hard work and contributions that went into compiling this!

To compliment that great book I put together a daily theme that goes unchanged from week to week which I’ll share below. The hope of the theme was to create an idea that I take with me throughout the twists and turns of my day, which can give me some sense of focus as I pause for noon, dinner, and evening prayer. I’ve begun practicing this rhythm individually and twice a week as I connect with Access partners to pray as a community in the morning. Starting Monday April 4^th we’ll begin implementing the morning rhythm for the students at Issachar and the surrounding east side neighborhood.

Here’s the daily themes for each week...

Monday- Restoration: Today we focus on our restored relationship to God and the call on us to be stewards of God’s creation. The Gospel comes to us in the midst of the created world, which was made through Jesus Christ and is being recreated through him.

Tuesday- Christ our Savior: Today we recognize that we carry the incarnational presence of Christ into the world. Today may others read the scriptures in us and may our eyes be open to see the scripture in them.

Wednesday- Denver, Our Playground!: Today we concentrate our prayer and energy on the city, on our immediate community, and our place of ministry and its people. May we find creative ways to actively encourage those in your own house and all the places you find yourself today.

Thursday- Mud & Spit: Just as Jesus used the dirt under his feet to heal the blind beggar, today we seek to take notice of all the little and often over-looked things (like graffiti or the sound of birds) that are a part of our everyday activity.

Friday- The Way of the Cross: Today we focus on the wholeness that is achieved through repentance, forgiveness, & reconciliation. As I head into the weekend is my spirit one of gratitude or resentment? How will the Cross impact my weekend?

Saturday- The Kingdom of God: Today we focus on the cloud of witnesses that have left a legacy before us. And we pray that we as individuals, and as a community will leave a legacy marked by the refreshment of Christ.

Sunday- Sabbath Shalom: Today we focus on both simple rest and celebration of our Creator, our Liberator, and our Resurrection and Life.

Posted at 10:28 AM in Access, Books, missional/incarnational, Neighborhood Stuff, prayer, Street Psalms | Permalink

Comments

beautiful sharing. it has compelled me to reflect on my prayer life with the Lord even more so now.

Posted by: Naomi | April 06, 2011 at 12:07 AM

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