There are numerous ways to approach daily prayer. I’ll share mine below.
First of all, ought prayer be a daily habit at all? I think the Scriptural evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of daily prayer. Prayer can sometimes be driven by pressing need; Nehemiah falls to his knees when he heard about Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1). Same for Abraham (Genesis 14.2-3; 18.22-33; Numbers 12.13). However, prayer should surround everything that we do (Philippians 4.6). Jesus presumes that life will be filled with times of need (John 14.13-14). Is not thanksgiving a prayer (Colossians 1.3)? Hannah exhibits this (1 Samuel 2.1-11). This is something that ought to be very frequent indeed (1 Corinthians 1.4). God’s house is called a house of prayer (Isaiah 56.7; 1 Kings 8.41-43; Matthew 21.13). Jewish life called for daily recitation of Deuteronomy 6.4-9. In the New Testament era, Christians observed daily prayers (Acts 3.1; 2.46; 5.12) and other set times of prayer (Acts 10.9, 30; 11.5; 10.3-4). This and other arguments, like the existence of the Book of Psalms as a prayer book, presume not just the importance of prayer, but the daily importance of prayer.
How is this done? Well, habit formation is important. Sometimes our habit of prayer is tied to an ordinary event like waking up (morning coffee, feeding the kids, etc.), going to bed (just before the lights go out, bedtime routine with children, etc.), eating a meal (prayer before, but prayer afterwards as well). Sometimes the habit is tied to accountability with others. As an off-the-cuff resource, I have been helped by James Clear regarding habit formation (Atomic Habits).
Apart from the formation of a new habit, it may be helpful to consider the prayer methods of others. There are several translations of Martin Luther’s method, usually titled A Simple Way to Pray (I have the version by Archie Parrish, and there is a good chapter on his method in Taking Hold of God). The Matthew Henry method has recently become popular, probably because of a beautifully produced website outlining the method, a method favored by O. Palmer Robertson, Ligon Duncan (see his chapter in The Devoted Life), and Joel Beeke (see his chapter in Taking Hold of God). There are some full length books on prayer that mention a bit about prayer habits, but not much: Richard Pratt, Pray With Your Eyes Open; J. I. Packer, Praying: Finding Our Way Through Duty to Delight; R. C. Sproul, The Prayer of the Lord.
How do I do my own private daily prayer? Well, I don’t do it as well as I would like. I do, however, have a method. It’s not perfect (no method is). I readily admit to finding a kind of comfort in method or routine or whatever is the opposite of spontaneity. A lot of this is temperament.
Have you noticed that the last section of the Westminster Larger Catechism is a short outline of the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6.9-13; Luke 11.2-4)? It begins at Question 187. Basically, these seventeenth century pastors divide the Lord’s Prayer into a preface, six petitions, and a conclusion.
I have assigned each of the six petitions to a day of the week. When I receive a prayer request, I write it down on the next day that it fits. Without further ado, here’s how it works.
Monday: Hallowed by thy name
These are mostly prayers about my personal walk. Monday is my day off and I always spend time to confess ways that I have spoken, behaved, or thought for my own name’s sake, and I also ask for guidance that His name would become an increasingly central concern of my life and resources.
Tuesday: Thy kingdom come
This is where I put prayer requests having to do with the church worldwide and ways in which God’s kingdom is applied. These include the state of the larger church, foreign missions in general, missionaries I know, but also various ministries to the community.
Wednesday: Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven
These are prayers concerning things that especially frustrate our own will and expose our powerlessness. These include temporary sickness, the worry of waiting for big news, discerning what to do next, tragic accidents, but also large issues (like national conflict) where God exercises His will.
Thursday: Give us this day our daily bread
These are prayers about the simple need for daily provision. These include hard situations not likely to change soon, likely to be with us for a while, like grief, doubt, anxiety, or other daily struggles requiring daily comfort.
Friday: Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
These include prayers concerning need for relationship (like loneliness), but also challenges of relationships, like conflict and anger, while not forgetting to praise God for the softening of hearts between individuals.
Saturday: Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
These are prayers about the need for regular holiness. These include prayers concerning Christian growth, but also protection for backsliding and wayward behavior, and sometimes prayers for the reclaiming and rescuing of those wandering into danger.
