In an effort to better discipline myself to sit. and. be. still. before the Lord, I have been using this tool / framework by Peter Scazzero to help me get there with some success. Lack of success is definitely on me and not on the practice described in his bookđ.
âThe Daily Office provides a structured way of spending time with God each day, but it differs from what we tend to think of as âquiet timeâ or âdevotions.â Quiet time and devotions normally take place once a day, usually in the morning, and focus on âgetting filled upâ for the day or on interceding for the needs of others. The Daily Office takes place at least twice a day, and it is not so much about turning to God to get something as it is turning to God to simply be with him.
The goal of the Daily Office is to pay attention to God throughout the entire day and in the midst of our activities. This is the great challenge for all of us. The enormous pressure of the world and our own stubborn self-will make it extraordinarily difficult to sustain any consistent awareness of Godâs presence. But it is far from impossible.
So why is it called the âDaily Officeâ? The word office comes from the Latin word opus, or âwork.â For the early church, the Daily Officeâpraying at fixed times throughout the dayâwas always the first âwork of Godâ to be done. Nothing was to interfere with that priority.
But this practice of fixed-hour prayer is one that actually long predates the early church. Three thousand years ago, King David practiced set times of prayer seven times a day (Psalm 119:164). The prophet Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10). Devout Jews in Jesusâ time prayed at morning, afternoon, and evening. Such set times of prayer were one of the Israelitesâ great spiritual and cultural treasures, a practical way to keep their lives centered on loving God at all times. Even after the resurrection, Jesusâ disciples continued to pray at certain hours of the day (Acts 3:1; 10:2â23).â
Pg.10, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day Copyright © 2008, 2014 by Peter Scazzero
Here is a sample of a morning, midday and evening Daily Office Prayer framework that he offers on his website:
You can download your own full copy here: