Connecting Prayer and the Word

Open my eyes that I may see the wonderful things in Your Law.
Psalm 119:18

There is a vital connection that prayer and Scripture have for each other. We cannot have one without the other. We must learn to prayerfully read the Bible, and biblically pray. In fact, the Bible is God’s school for prayer. ​
​
Let the Bible Teach You to Pray

“Lord, teach us to pray.” What a beautiful and humble request by the disciples to Jesus. They are acknowledging that they have so much to learn about prayer, and Jesus is the One who can teach it to them. We approach God with the same request: “teach me to pray”. And God has provided many examples of prayer throughout His Word. Praying through Scripture is God’s School of Prayer. Turn God’s Word into your words of prayer back to God. 

The book of Psalms are filled with prayers and praises to God. Read through a chapter of Psalms and then let the content of the Psalm become the content of your prayers. 

For example: Psalm 1

• Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
  
  
• Prayer: Father God, keep my life on the path that walks closely with you. May the focus of my life and the desires of my heart not be with the wicked or dwell with those who dishonor your name. Instead, give me a deeper love for your word. Let me delight in your law as the psalmist does. Help me to meditate on your word day and night. Sharpen my memory so that I can memorize more and more of your word. Give me a growing knowledge and love of your word. In Jesus name, Amen. 
  
  
• Psalm 1:3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 
  
  
• Prayer: Father God, make me like this tree that is planted by streams of water. I pray that the Spirit will bear much fruit through my life. May all who encounter me, encounter You in me. Let them taste of your goodness through my life. I pray for a fruitful and abundant life that delights your heart and honors you. In Jesus name, Amen. 

 
This is an exercise that you can do with any part of Scripture, not just the psalms or the prayers of the Bible. As you see God’s goodness in the text, praise God for that goodness. When you see the sinfulness of unfaithful kings and disciples, repent of those same sins that live within our own hearts. 

The more we pray through Scripture, the more biblically saturated our prayers can become. We are allowing the Word to teach us to pray, and we are deepening the Bible’s content for our prayers. This is a helpful exercise that will mature your faith and your prayers. Let the Bible teach you to pray. 

Let Prayer Cover Your Bible Reading 

Not only do we want to biblically pray, we also want to prayerfully read the Word of God. Before you read the Divine Word, ask the Author for insight and understanding. I often pray Psalm 119:18 at the start of my Bible reading time: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things in your law.” Or Psalm 119:34 “Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.” 

This kind of praying acknowledges my dependence on God to speak to me through His Word. It becomes communion with God in prayer as I seek Him in His Word. We need the supernatural work of the Spirit to open our eyes to see the beauty and wonder in His Word. Prayer and reading the Bible are always together. Always. As I swim, stroking my left arm and then right arm, this becomes the same rhythm for my time in the Word and prayer. I read the Bible, pray, read the Bible, pray, meditate, pray, meditate, praise, read, confess. This takes me deeper into the Word and deeper into prayer. 

------
This is taken from the book Praying through Scripture.