Daily Practices – Week 5 – Day 2
THEME: Abundant life grows through sacrifice, not consumption.
GRACE: Lord, help me see where You are calling me to live generously.
Settling in:
- In a journal, note the day, time, and place you’re sitting.
- Open with a few moments of silence. Rest, and breathe deeply.
- Complete the following sentence in your journal: Today, I feel ________________.
- Read these words slowly (aloud or silently):
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:12-13, NIV)
- Pause for a few moments of silence.
Practice:
- Choose one of the following practices.
Option 1: Intercession [5-30 minutes]
Cultivating a generous heart takes time, and it begins with simply noticing the needs of others. One of the best ways to intentionally do that is to practice intercession, praying specifically for the needs of others.
To practice intercession today, open your journal and write a list of the people you know who need prayer. They can be individuals you know or a group of people (such as those suffering in other parts of the world).
Then take a moment and pray through your list, offering each person up to God and asking Him to care for them as only He can.
When you are finished, choose one person from your list whom you know personally and reach out to them. Let them know they were on your heart today, and ask if there’s anything they might like you to pray for. This simple act can be profoundly encouraging.
When you are finished, don’t forget to write a brief summary in your journal. This will help you reflect on the practice and notice how the Lord might be speaking to you through this process.
Option 2: Intercession – Prayers of the People [30-60 minutes]
One helpful guide for intercessory prayer is the “Prayers of the People.” This structure, laid out in the Book of Common Prayer, helps us remember people we might sometimes forget.
Today, take some extended time and pray through each category below. Move slowly through each category, and note in your journal whom the Lord brings to mind to pray for. As you do, imagine yourself lifting each person (or group of people) up before Jesus, setting them at His feet and asking for His mercy on their lives.
- The Universal Church, its members and its mission
- The Nation and all in authority
- The welfare of the world
- The concerns of the local community
- Those who suffer and those in any trouble
When you are finished, open your journal and prayerfully answer the following questions: Which category was most difficult to pray for, and why? Is there anything God might be saying to you through this observation?
- Summary: Write a brief summary (five sentences or less) of what you discovered during your time of intercessory prayer.
- Closing Prayer: Lord, help me see where You are calling me to live generously.
Questions? Please email us at info@parishanglican.org
