Chapter 12. Enriching Your Devotions. He that goes to his closet in a hurry, only to repeat a short form of words, may pray all his life without any real devotion. William Law. There are certain means of assisting our devotion, some rules, though little in themselves, yet of great use to render our minds attentive and fervent in our supplications to God. William Law.
The reason I use the term "devotional hour" instead of "prayer hour" is that you'll be spending this time in prayer, reflection, Bible reading, devotional reading, and perhaps singing and worship. Depending upon your circumstances and your ability to pray, you may do more reading and reflecting than praying. That's up to you. Obviously, don't get so engaged in your reading that you neglect praying. I want to share some suggestions for a fruitful, meaningful devotional hour.
If you already have a successful format, there's no need to change it. These suggestions are mainly for those who don't already have a daily devotional time. Use them if they're helpful; ignore them if they're not. Entering His Presence. After you have gone into your prayer room and shut the door, it's good to consciously enter the Lord's presence. You may want to visualize coming before God's majestic throne. You may find it helpful to think of the picture that Isaiah gives of God enthroned with His angels.
I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood Seraphim. Each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory." Isaiah 6:1-3. Or perhaps you will want to imagine that you are blind and have just been brought before a majestic King sitting on His throne.
You can't see Him, but you are fully aware of His presence. It's the same when you come before the throne of heaven, only infinitely greater. Or, instead of focusing on God's majesty, you may find it more helpful to concentrate on God's love and His kindness. In that case, you might want to envision the loving Father in Jesus' parable of the prodigal son. Picture yourself at the knees of this loving Father, pouring out your heart to Him. And this is entirely appropriate, for God is not far off.
In fact, He is closer to your soul than your own flesh is. He is literally right beside you when you pray. Regardless of how you wish to picture God, or if you prefer not to picture Him at all, spend a minute or two just enjoying His presence. Use this time to free your mind of all distracting thoughts so you can focus on God alone. Think about the greatness of the person you're about to address. Think about His love and His eagerness to hear your prayers. What a privilege it is to be able to talk to Him.
What is the appropriate posture during prayer? The Bible does not command us to any particular posture when praying, although it does direct us to "lift up holy hands" when we pray (1 Timothy 2:8). The best posture is the one that is most natural to you and that enhances a prayerful mood. For most Western Christians, kneeling is probably the posture we most associate with prayer. This was apparently Daniel's custom too. The Scriptures tell us that "He knelt down on His knees three times that day" (Daniel 6:10).
The early Christians used different prayer postures depending upon the occasion and upon the nature of their prayers. When praising God or giving thanks, they normally prayed standing with their hands lifted to heaven. Since every Sunday was a celebration of the resurrection, they prayed standing on Sundays. When supplicating God, they typically prayed kneeling, except on Sundays. When confessing serious sins, they sometimes prayed lying prostrate on the ground.
Jesus described the penitent tax collector praying in the following manner: "Standing afar off, he would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'" (Luke 18:13). Jesus also used different postures when praying, depending on the situation. When giving thanks for the loaves and fishes, "He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves" (Mark 6:41).
However, in the Garden of Gethsemane, making supplications to His Father, "He knelt down and prayed" (Luke 22:41). At one point in the garden, when praying intensely, "He fell on His face and prayed" (Matthew 26:39). So you may want to change your posture depending upon the nature of your prayers at that particular moment. But what are some of the things we should be praying about?