Check out this guide for daily devotional practices. Select whether you are beginning in the morning, afternoon, and evening and continue on from there. Feel free to go off script and make it your own. This is your time with the LORD! Take joy in His presence.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES
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Morning
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Afternoon
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Evening
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Oh LORD let my soul rise up to meet you,
As the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
As the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
LISTEN
Still yourself before the LORD. Set a timer for an amount of time in silence of your choosing (we recommend at least 1 minute for beginners, but it can be as long as you like). Try using a prayer phrase to center your thoughts on Jesus (see example below, but you can choose your own). In silence, listen for anything the Holy Spirit might want to reveal. If a stray thought enters your head, give it to Jesus and ask if he has anything to say about it. If not, let it pass.
(Breathe in): Jesus (Breathe out): have mercy.
Listen in silence.
Thank you, LORD.
(Breathe in): Jesus (Breathe out): have mercy.
Listen in silence.
Thank you, LORD.
Draw us into your love, Christ Jesus;
and deliver us from fear.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
and deliver us from fear.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
CONFESS
Practice the art of confession. Say:
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned through my own fault,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do;
and I plead the blood of Jesus for my forgiveness.
Take time to confess to God or to others either out loud, in a prayer journal, or in silent prayer. If someone speaks a confession out loud to you, listen patiently and assure them of Christ’s forgiveness. Conclude by speaking the truth of forgiveness:
LORD Jesus, through your cross you have forgiven us, and we have new life in you.
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned through my own fault,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do;
and I plead the blood of Jesus for my forgiveness.
Take time to confess to God or to others either out loud, in a prayer journal, or in silent prayer. If someone speaks a confession out loud to you, listen patiently and assure them of Christ’s forgiveness. Conclude by speaking the truth of forgiveness:
LORD Jesus, through your cross you have forgiven us, and we have new life in you.
In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
REFLECT ON THE DAY
Invite the Holy Spirit to make you aware of God’s presence. Review the last 24 hours, and note wherever you see God at work. Take note of the emotions that surface as you reflect. Choose one feature of the day and pray for God to speak to you from it. Look toward tomorrow: What is God inviting you to do in preparation for what is ahead?
GIVE
Share a word of thanks as an offering to God.
INTERCEDE
Share prayer concerns and pray for others.
BIBLE READING
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Praying Scripture
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Let God Speak
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Study
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Choose a group of psalms by taking whatever the day of the month it is and adding thirty to it four times (If it’s the 1st of the month, your psalms are 1, 31, 61, 91, and 121). Set a timer for the amount of time you’d like to dedicate to prayer. Open your Bible to the first psalm of the list and start reading. If it doesn’t seem to speak to where you are at the moment, you can jump to the next one on the list until you find one that feels right. Let the words guide your prayer. Wherever your mind goes as you read and pray, give that to God as prayer. If a word or phrase reminds you of a person or an incident, pray about that. If something strikes you as confusing, make a note to return to it for study at a later time. For now, simply let the psalm serve as a guide.
Find a short passage to reflect upon, preferably a narrative text, around 1-8 verses. Choose one of the following practices to guide a time of reflective prayer using the text.
Contemplate
Read the passage aloud four times, setting a timer for a short time of silent reflection between each reading. The first time through, simply read the text slowly and deliberately for a basic understanding. On the second reading, listen for a specific word or phrase that stands out to you and ponder its meaning. For the third reading, bring that word or phrase before God in prayer - asking what God wants to say through it. In the final reading, contemplate how you might live differently or experience God differently in light of what you have heard.
*This practice is known as Lectio Divina (divine reading).
*This practice is known as Lectio Divina (divine reading).
Enter the Text
Read the passage aloud three-to-four times, setting a timer for a short time of silent reflection between each reading. As you read, first listen for the broad strokes of the passage: What is taking place? Who is there? Etc. As you continue to read, allow your imagination to fill in other details as you enter into the world of the text: Where are you in the narrative? What are the sounds, smells, sights, and other details that you notice? What emotions surface for you as you interact with the events of the text? Finally, listen for what God wants to say to you based upon this reading and experience.
*This practice was developed by a Spanish priest named Ignatius of Loyola in the 1500s.
*This practice was developed by a Spanish priest named Ignatius of Loyola in the 1500s.
Select a passage of scripture to study. With a group or on your own, reflect on the scripture texts provided using the five questions below.
1. What do you like? Why?
2. What do you dislike? Why?
3. What is confusing or strange?
4. What do you learn about God?
5. How will you live differently in response to this scripture?
Do your best to reflect upon questions and answers using the text itself. If you get stuck on questions about definitions or cultural context, it can be helpful to consult commentaries and Hebrew/Greek resources, such as biblehub.com.
1. What do you like? Why?
2. What do you dislike? Why?
3. What is confusing or strange?
4. What do you learn about God?
5. How will you live differently in response to this scripture?
Do your best to reflect upon questions and answers using the text itself. If you get stuck on questions about definitions or cultural context, it can be helpful to consult commentaries and Hebrew/Greek resources, such as biblehub.com.
SUGGESTIONS FOR DAILY BIBLE READING PLANS
Looking for a plan to guide your daily Bible reading? Check out the options below, all available on the YouVersion Bible app:
PRAY
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever.
Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, our rock and our redeemer (Ps 19:14). Amen.
Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, our rock and our redeemer (Ps 19:14). Amen.