Reflection
Fixed prayer times have been around since ancient days. The practice of “Praying the Hours” – praying at set times of the day – still exists in many spaces in Christianity today. There are usually set prayers or scripture and a very general idea might historically has been to pray every three hours – beginning at 3 am and going on throughout the day. Praying in this way can help us to pause and be attentive to God throughout the day.
Today we invite you to set a time to pause in the early morning – before dawn or shortly after rising. Use an alarm on your phone if needed. Pray Psalm 42 as your early morning prayer. Perhaps reading and praying it through at least twice or more.
Psalm 42:1-8
1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?”
4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!
5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.