Day 6
CLOCK

Reminder: Yesterday we landed on a place to pray for these 20 days. You’re in that place right now. Tell the Lord you have obeyed His call to find a specific place for prayer, your door is shut, and you love being with Him here.

Today let’s examine the time of day when we pray. When seeking to grow a new habit, consistency is a key ingredient. I recommend therefore, if at all possible, to pray at the same time each day during these 20 days. Labor to go to the same place at the same time each day. Or get as close as you possibly can. This will give your Reset the best chance to take root.

When the gospel writers spoke of the time of day Jesus typically prayed, it was often at night or in the morning.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35)

Many who teach on prayer advocate praying first thing in the morning. That’s a tangible way to place Jesus first in our day. When we tithe, we’re placing Him first in our finances; with morning prayer we’re placing Him first in our schedule.

Some folks are morning people. But not everyone. Therefore, I encourage you to schedule your prayer time not automatically for the first part of your day but strategically for the best part of your day. Let me explain.

Examine the rhythms of your body clock. Most of us have a certain time of day when we are most energetic, engaged, and creative. At what time of day are you at your best?

The time of day I’m most alert is:

PRAY. Consecrate your best time of day to the Lord.

Like everything else in your life, tell Him it’s His.

Psalm 63 gives the impression that David was a morning person.

O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. (Ps 63:1)

David resolved to seek the Lord early. To seek the Lord early means three things to me: 1) I should seek Him early in life, in my youthful years; 2) I should seek Him in the early stages of troubles and trials; and 3) I should seek Him early in the day.

PRAY. Take a couple minutes to pray from Psalm 63:1. Express to the Lord how thirsty you are for Him. Early will I seek You.

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober. (1 Pet 1:13)

Here’s today’s reading in the epistles:

To gird up the loins of your mind probably meant to muster the best energies of your mind so you can pray and serve God effectively. Our best mental energies often surface around a certain time of day.

Write down (again) your best time of day:
Write what you are typically doing at that time of day:

Now comes the challenging part. What can you do to align your 20-minute prayer Reset with that time of day? How much spiritual violence might this require on your part? Ideally, you want to carve your prayer time into a distraction-free slot when you’re at your best mentally.

PRAY. Ask the Lord how you can make this happen. What can you adjust in your schedule so that your secret place coincides with your best time of day? Even if it’s not possible to do it at the same time every day, what’s the most consistent option possible? Once He shows you the best time(s) of day your schedule will permit, nail down your resolution.

I resolve by God’s grace to place my prayer time, during this 20-day reset, at the following time of day: (How close to the minute can you specify?)

The rigorous decision to pray at a certain time tomorrow is made tonight. Because what I do tonight determines what I can do tomorrow. To be alert in tomorrow’s appointment with God, I must get to bed in good time tonight.

Ask the Lord for grace to wrestle down this 20-minute time window every day.

And be there—tomorrow!


RESET: 20 Ways to a Consistent Prayer Life Copyright © 2018 by Bob Sorge Published by Oasis House
Reproduced with permission.
For information on all Bob’s books, go to www.oasishouse.com