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Prayer in the Details
By Roger Hornbeck

The 15th century peasant woman welcomed the morning with a prayer as she stirred the slumbering ambers to life. With each chore she offered another prayer. Is this the superstition of a bygone age, or an insight into life lost to our advanced modern world? Our Christian ancestors knew how to integrate prayer into the details of daily activities, a skill missing in much of the Christian community today. Why is it such a struggle for us to incorporate prayer into our daily lives and what can we do to develop this area of our Christian walk? Let me present three common hindrances to praying throughout life's daily details:

The first is our culture's practice of compartmentalization. I have my work compartment, and my family compartment, as well as compartments for entertainment, my views on character and money and relationships, and sometimes even a compartment for God. The practice of compartmentalization minimizes the connection between different compartments. Because of compartmentalization, I may not even consider allowing the beliefs and practices of my religious compartment to invade my compartment of work, family or entertainment. I need to challenge compartmentalization with the truth that God wants to be involved in every area of my life.

In addition to compartmentalization, seeing prayer as a religious ceremony rather than an expression of a relationship with God may restrict our prayer life to Sunday and other religious settings. When I see prayer as a conversation with God, it is natural to talk with Him about the details of my life.

Finally, the incorporation of prayer into my daily routine is hindered by my desire to restrict God's involvement in certain areas of my life. I may not want God's input into my business practices or how I relate to my spouse and children. It is easy to see why I would not go to prayer in those situations. Why would I ask God's opinion and involvement in a situation in which I have already determined my course of action?

If the above are some of the hindrances to infusing my life with prayer, then the following two perspectives will help draw prayer back into my life. First, I need to learn to practice the presence of Jesus. This means that I act according to the reality that Jesus is with me throughout my day. This is not wishful thinking, but is based on the clear teaching of Scripture. Jesus, as He commissioned His Church, gave the following promise: "... I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Mat. 28:20) When I start talking with God in the middle of a conflict at work or home, I am affirming this verse.

Practicing the presence of Jesus by talking with Him about the smallest issues of life is validated by the invitation to cast all our cares upon Him because He cares for us (1Peter 5:7). In addition, this is supported by 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which commands us to pray without ceasing.

Jesus commanded His disciples to abide in Him as a way of life (John 15). Prayer is one of the tools God has given to facilitate our abiding in Jesus. By prayer we affirm who God is and our relationship to Him. By prayer we confess the sins, which would break our connection to God, and by prayer we ask God to release His resources of grace into our lives.

The second perspective that aids in incorporating prayer into our daily lives is to train the eyes of our hearts to see God's presence in our lives. As we are confronted by God's presence, we are drawn into prayers of worship, confession, intercession and thanksgiving. One evening, in the mist of disciplining one of my children, God broke in. He used my love for my disobedient child to show me His heart of love for me. All I could do was offer prayers of gratitude and worship.

Bringing prayer into the details of my life is a function of bringing God into the details of my life. I must release God from the boxes of church buildings, ceremonies, and the fear of having Him involved in my daily life. Prayer becomes the link, which brings my life to His throne and His resources into my life.