The practice of attending to God’s grace is quite easy. The goal is to make God’s grace-filled presence the first and the last thing you focus on each day. Starting and ending each day resting in God’s loving presence serves to bookend your day with God.
So how do you do this?
Waking up to God’s grace involves turning your attention to God’s presence before you give your attention to anything else. It’s so easy to wake up to the demands, pressures, and responsibilities of the day without first waking up to God’s loving presence. The first part of this practice focuses on intentionally giving God our undivided attention before we give our attention to anything else.
Resting in God’s grace involves turning your attention to God’s presence as you close out the day. It’s so easy to go to sleep fixating on unresolved problems or anxiously anticipating tomorrow’s challenges. The second part of this practice focuses on surrendering all of cares to God as we find rest in God’s loving embrace.
The roadmap below is designed to give you a simple structure to follow.
Many have found it helpful to memorize this roadmap so that they can attend to God’s grace before they step out of bed in the morning and fall asleep at night. If that’s too tall an order, you can just print it off. Having it accessible is the key.
Finally, feel free to make this roadmap your own as you live into this practice.
The focus shouldn’t be on getting the words right, but on getting your focus and attention right. God’s grace is never-ending and always present. We simply need to open up our hearts to receive it.
Daily Prayer
Before You Get Out Of Bed Each Morning
Waking Up To God's Grace
When I awake, I am still with you (Psalm 139:18)
Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of your presence.
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Thank you, Jesus, for your steadfast love and faithfulness.
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)
Thank you, Jesus, for a new day to enjoy and experience.
"Come" my heart says, "Seek His face!" Your face, Lord, I do seek. (Psalm 27:8)
You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you (Psalm 63:1)
Help me, Jesus, to seek you today.
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long (Psalm 25:4-5)
Teach me, Jesus, how to walk with you today.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts (Psalm 28:7)
Resource me, Jesus, as I put my trust in you.
As You Go To Bed Each Night
Resting In God's Grace
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 118:1)
Jesus, thank you for your love and faithfulness today.
Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)
Jesus, I surrender all into your hands. You are God and I am not.
The Lord grants sleep to those He loves (Psalm 127:2)
Jesus, grant me sleep as I rest in you.
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night (Psalm 63:6)
If I wake, Jesus, help me to turn my thoughts toward you.
Return to rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you (Psalm 116:7)
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8)
Jesus, I surrender all into your hands. You are God and I am not.