Prayer Before...

As christians we often pray that God would be present with us. However, the reality is is that God is always present with us - it is us who have forgotten that He is there. It is written "he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Duet 31:8, NIV), and

"Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there".
(Psalm 139:7-8)

Prayer is a way of reminding ourselves that we are in the presence of God. There will often be times in life where we face stressful situations, such as an exam or a difficult meeting . It is at these times that prayer can come into it's own. Pausing before an important event, remember that God is with us, asking for his help and guidance, all these elements can transform the way we approach something.

It is hoped that this section will provide a point of inspiration for those "before times". There's a page on prayer before meetings, including ideas on what to pray for before a church gathering, and prayer for business and directors meetings.

Perhaps you are holding a bible study? This page features a psalm that will be useful to use as precusor to study, as well as two set prayers.

Praying in daily life is as important as breathing. Just as we all need oxygen to live, we need God's presence in us for us to be fully alive. There's four pages devoted to aspects of daily living. You may wish to begin the morning in prayer. If you have a job, why not pause and pray before you start work. As you dine, you may want to spend a moment in reflection and thanks before eating. And as night falls, why not thank God for His goodness and pray before bed?

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Praying Before...

There's a long tradition of christian communities that place a high value on praying before activities or events. The religious monastic orders have a rule of life which bids them to pray at specific times of the day - sometimes in preparation for an activity, at other times to give thanks to God for the outcome and the results of prayer. At other times they may intercede on behalf of people and world events.

However, this pattern of daily community prayer ritual is not just restricted to the orders. The Northumbria Community have developed a daily office based on ancient celtic spiritual life. Anyone who joins this movement is invited to follow this way of prayer through the day. The office is divided up into morning prayer, a short midday prayer, evening prayer and an (optional) compline to end the day. This pattern of regular spiritual focus engenders an awareness of God throughout the day, and places prayer before, and after the events in life. The community is located at Chatton, Northumberland. However, one does not have to live there to follow this way of life and the movement has many adherents in the UK and a growing presence in the USA.

A Celtic Blessing

(used in the morning prayers from the Northumbria Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.

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