Spontaneous Prayers
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
Memory Verse
Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. (CEV)
How spontaneous are you? Have you seen someone be spontaneous? Maybe your teacher had an idea and said, “I didn’t plan this, but for the next lesson, we are going outside, so grab your coats and let’s go!” Maybe your dad made a quick decision in the car, “I’m turning in here to grab something from the hardware store! I’ll be just a minute.”
We can pray in the same spontaneous way. We don’t have to wait until Sunday to talk with God or pray to him only at mealtimes. Ephesians 6:18 says to “never stop praying.” We can pray to God anytime, like when we listen to our heavenly Father as we brush our teeth or when we talk to him about our day as we just “chill” outside in the backyard. We don’t have to plan this type of prayer—that’s why it's called spontaneous prayer.
Life can change quickly. Sometimes, things just happen—and we can pray! Like whenever we hear a siren, we can spontaneously pray. We can pray for the paramedics, firefighters, or police headed to an emergency and for the people involved.
Regular prayer changes depending on the surprises or “curveballs'' in life. Sometimes, strong words of sadness or lament burst out of our mouths because of unexpected disappointment or sudden loss. In Psalm 34:17-18, David wrote: “When his people pray for help, he listens and rescues them from their troubles. The Lord is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope.” No matter what happens, God is present even in difficult times. We pray spontaneously when in distress, and God hears our cries. We find peace knowing that the Lord can provide comfort and refuge during our times of need.
Through the Holy Spirit, we tell God about our good days, our immediate concerns, and our sudden pain. It’s beautiful to know that during our quiet times, we can “chill” with the Creator of the universe using spontaneous prayer!
Prayer
Thank you, God, for listening. We can tell you anything anytime, and you hear our prayers. Thank you for being here with us. Amen.Related Resources
Derek Wong
Derek is the Children's Ministry Pastor at Malvern Baptist Church. He is passionate about sharing God’s love through Jesus in creative and animated ways. He also enjoys collaborating with other people from different backgrounds. He lives in Toronto with his amazing wife Andrea.