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.
1 2 I will always praise the . 3 With all my heart, I will praise the . Let all who are helpless, listen and be glad. 4 Honor the with me! Celebrate his great name. 5 I asked the for help, and he saved me from all my fears. 6 Keep your eyes on the ! You will shine like the sun and never blush with shame. 7 I was a nobody, but I prayed, and the saved me from all my troubles. 8 If you honor the , his angel will protect you. 9 Discover for yourself that the is kind. Come to him for protection, and you will be glad. 10 Honor the ! You are his special people. No one who honors the will ever be in need. 11 Young lions may go hungry or even starve, but if you trust the , you will never miss out on anything good. 12 Come, my children, listen as I teach you to respect the . 13 Do you want to live and enjoy a long life? 14 Then don't say cruel things and don't tell lies. 15 Do good instead of evil and try to live at peace. 16 If you obey the , he will watch over you and answer your prayers. 17 But God despises evil people, and he will wipe them all from the earth, till they are forgotten. 18 When his people pray for help, he listens and rescues them from their troubles. 19 The is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope. 20 The 's people may suffer a lot, but he will always bring them safely through. 21 Not one of their bones will ever be broken. 22 Wicked people are killed by their own evil deeds, and if you hate God's people you will be punished.
Psalm 34
Memory Verse
Ephesians 6:18
18 Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people.
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.