Day 4: Pray It

Read over the verse, but instead of just reading it, allow the passage to be a simple springboard into prayer. How do we do this? It’s simple: we pray the passage! As you read a phrase or sentence, seek to pray it back to God. What does this portion of Scripture bring to mind? What feelings does the passage invoke or stir in you? Turn those thoughts and feelings into prayers and a conversation with God. Praying the Bible is a wonderful way to disrupt the unhelpful ruts that plague our prayer lives. They teach us to pray in ways we might never have, declaring things about God or ourselves we may have forgotten, and even teach us to express emotions that feel uncomfortable! If helpful, some may choose to write the passage and prayer in their own words! If praying Psalm 23:1-2, you might start by focusing on God as your shepherd. Are there places where you’ve sensed His care for you? Thank Him for those things! Or perhaps you’re in a darker season where you’ve sensed His absence and you’ve felt like you’ve been a sheep without a shepherd. Whatever it is, allow the psalm to bring your real life before Him or whatever other prayers come to mind! How long do we pray for? In his book Praying the Bible, Donald Whitney recommends doing this “until you run out of time or run out of psalm (or passage of Scripture).”

Remember to light the Advent candles and sing or listen along to the passage as you’re able. Jesus is your joy!