What are you wearing? Is it a prayer?
It can be. You might say that, for more than 3,000 years, observant Jews have done so. You may recall that Moses relayed God’s commands to God’s people, telling them that they should:
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength… Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads” (Deuteronomy 6:5-8 NIV).
Since then, many Jews have worn tallit (prayer shawls) and tefillin (a word related to t’fillah, the Hebrew word for “prayer”) on their arms and foreheads in literal, prayerful obedience to the command. But you don’t have to be Jewish to wear a prayer. It simply takes a little attention—and intention—when you dress for the day. Or evening. Or even for the gym.
For example, you might own a piece of jewelry that was given to you by someone special. Why not say a prayer for that person as you’re putting it on?
You could turn a scarf or coat into a prayer by asking God to cover you with His presence and power as you wear it.
As you put on your watch in the morning, you might ask God to oversee the minutes and hours of your day according to His good, perfect, and pleasing will.
Your shoes can be a prayer, too. You can ask God to fulfill His word in Psalm 37:23 (NIV): “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”
A flag pin could be worn as a prayer for your country. Your glasses could be a prayer for wisdom and insight. A hair-tie could be turned into a plea for God to control and beautify your life. Pajamas can be a prayer for a good night’s sleep or a bathrobe for cleanliness of heart and life. Even a bandage could become a prayer for friends who are hurting.
Try it. Start small. Pick one item that you wear daily or regularly. Pray over it, asking God to make it a prayer every time you wear it, for as long as you wear it. You may be surprised at what wearing a prayer can do for you and the world around you.
