Let us test and examine our ways.  Let us turn back to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40

What was the last thing you did last night before your eyes closed?

Perhaps, when you were a child you said bedtime prayers.  A friend told me that she was taught to pray, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  And if I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”  Having no other spiritual input in her young life, she said that for years, she was terrified that she would die in her sleep! we can definitely do better than that.

There’s a daily spiritual practice called the Examen that might help you bring your day to a reflective, prayerful close.  Here are four questions to ask as part of an evening Examen:

Did I see anyone through the eyes of Christ’s love today? I’m sure I viewed a lot of people through my eyes today. When Jesus saw people, His reaction was one of compassion (Matthew 9:36).
Did I bring my anxious thoughts before God in prayer? If not, right now is a good time to do that. God actually invites me to tell Him about my worries and cares (1 Peter 5:7).
Was I present to God’s presence in silence? The Bible tells that God’s presence is heard in a gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:12). Let me listen now in the quiet of evening.
Is there any sin I must acknowledge and request God’s forgiveness? “Create in me a clean heart,” the Psalmist prayed. This is a prayer that restores my joy.

“Let us test and examine our ways. [Yes,] let us turn back to the Lord” as Lamentations 3:40 says.