5 Prayer Ideas For Your Home During Lent

The Church Calendar offers us time to create spiritual practices for ourselves and our families during its seasons. Lent offers a unique opportunity for prayer. Here are five ideas you can use this Lenten season to enrich your prayer life in your home. 

The Lord’s Prayer at Breakfast: This prayer shapes our daily expectations regarding God’s reign, our daily food, receiving and giving forgiveness, and making it through trials. Our family ends the prayer with “In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we receive our day.” This closing, which Dallas Willard apparently practiced, helps us recognize the role of the Trinity in our lives as well as posturing ourselves for receiving what God gives rather than what we hope to take for the day.

A Lenten Centerpiece: One idea is to place a small tray filled with sand to remind us of trials and temptation. Then add a small wooden cross to remind ourselves that we have died to the world and sin. Also, a small bowl of water recalls our baptism. Finally, a small candle reminds us of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the wilderness.

A Mezuzah: God instructed his people in Deuteronomy 6:9 and 11:20 to write his words on the doorposts (mezuzah in Hebrew) of houses and gates as a visual reminder to live by his word when going out and coming in. Consider using one or affixing some other object near your door to remind your family of his word. Say a brief prayer and touch it as you leave and enter.

A Body Prayer: For each child, touch their head, eyes, ears, mouth, heart, hands, and feet. As you do, pray that God will lead them and that they will seek after him with each part. For example, when touching near the child’s eyes, pray, “Lord, help my daughter or son to see you working today.”

A Rhythm Prayer: Each day at the same time, pray for another person for all 40 days of Lent

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