When you have your devotions, if you want the Word to be powerful and take root in your heart, take time to pray the Word.  Here’s how in four steps.

1.  First, before reading the scriptures in your quiet time, take just a minute or so and ask God to speak to you and teach you, and give you understanding.  If you can’t think of what to pray, here are some words of scripture you can pray, from Psalms 119.

 Psalms 119: 12, 26, 33, 108, 124, and 135

Teach me Your statues.

 

 Psalms 119: 18

Open my eyes, that I may see wonderful things from Your law.

 

Psalms 119: 25, 28, 107, 149, 154, and 159

Revive me according to Your Word.

 

Psalms 119:27

Make me to understand the way of Your precepts, so shall I meditate on Your wonderful works.

 

Psalms 119:34

Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

 

 Psalms 119:35

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments.

2.  Next, read and meditate over the passage you have chosen, expecting God to speak to you.

3.  Third, focus on the verses that God is speaking to you about.  Ask Him what He wants you to learn from those verses and from the passage.  Maybe He is trying to point out a sin in your life.  Perhaps He has a promise He wants you to claim in prayer, or maybe He just wants you to thank and praise Him for something.  Whatever it is, He will show you.

4.  Last, pray the passage back to God.  If you chose, I think it’s a good idea to record your prayer and meditation in a journal.  I don’t do it all the time, but every once in a while I do.  Here are two short examples that I have picked out from my own journal.  I hope they will give you some ideas.

From 2 Timothy 4:7.

 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.

 

Here is the prayer that I recorded in my Journal:

 Lord, keep me on that course; keep me fighting.  Strengthen me for the fight.  Show me the finish line.  Help me to endure all along the way.  Give me rest even while I run.  Show me how to meditate during the day.  Keep me in your hand.