Beside a highway that I travel several times each week sits a big sign that’s hard to ignore. Whenever I notice it, I use it as a cue to pray for a particular person. At another point along that road is a panoramic view of my city. I use the sight to remind me to ask the Lord for reformation and revival upon His work in our area. Whenever I see a certain time on a digital clock it’s a memory-jogger to pray for my wife and daughter.
I refer to these as “prayer prompts,” things I use to remind me to pray for specific people or situations.
Christians have always used commonplace things as ways to turn their thoughts heavenward. When dressing in the morning, many Puritans made a habit of praying briefly for a different matter with each article of clothing they pulled on. Today, I personally know several believers who pray whenever they hear a siren.
All this is similar to a practice of the apostle Paul. Every time the thought of the church in Philippi popped into his head, he used that recollection as a reminder to pray for those brothers and sisters: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy” (Philippians 1:3-4).
Why not transform something from your routine into a prayer prompt? It can be a sight, smell, sound, thought, event, or experience. Find these cues in your home, at your job, on your commute, online, at your desk—anywhere.
Whenever you get up in the night you could pray for the salvation of your family. While brushing your teeth (you have to think of something!) you could intercede for your church. Every time you see or hear a particular commercial (perhaps one that’s especially annoying) on the Internet or TV, you could pray for unreached people groups. Certain billboards could prompt you to ask God to bring an end to abortion. Each email from a given source might serve as your cue to pray for your own faithfulness to the Lord.
I’m not suggesting that these would be the only times you pray for these matters. Instead, these prayer prompts could supply frequent reminders to pray additionally for things that are of special or ongoing importance.
Transform something mundane—even something negative—into something that will turn your thoughts to God.
