P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Today, as we begin our study of 1 Samuel 17, we ask the Lord to reveal the fears within our hearts as we seek to surrender it to him.
Together we will pray (P.R.A.Y.) each day – ‘P’: Pausing to be still as we come into the presence of the Lord. ‘R’: Rejoicing as we remember who our God is and what He has done, and Reflecting on His word. ‘A’: Asking God to help us and others. And ‘Y’: yielding to His will in accordance with His word.
As I come before you to pray, I still my thoughts and quiet my mind. I seek to make you the center of my focus.
Prayer of Approach
As I enter into your presence, I wait on you, my God. You are a shield about me. You are my glory and the lifter of my head. I cry aloud to you today and I trust that you will answer me from your holy hill. (Psalm 3:3-4) I surrender this time to you and refix my gaze on who you are.
We choose to rejoice today in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 121…
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
Psalm 121:1-5
Today we reflect on 1 Samuel 17, where we read:
Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:1-11
Imagine this scene in your mind. Battle lines have been drawn with Israel on one mountain and the Philistines on the other. Israel is not prepared for the giant Goliath, standing at 9 feet tall, to step out of the ranks of the Philistines. He heckles them and waits for the champion of Israel to come out and fight him in a one-on-one battle to decide, which army will be victorious. Israel though stands silent. Not a single warrior steps out when Goliath calls. The whole army and even King Saul are paralyzed by fear.
Fear is a powerful emotion in all of our lives. Fear has the ability to sap us of all the strength and hope that we have and it leaves us with nothing. It is easy to look at our world, at our nation, and at our city and only feel fear. Israel that day stood in fear of a literal giant. For you and I though we all have those giants in our lives that cause us to abandon hope and embrace fear.
At the heart of the Bible, literally over and over in the Scriptures, we see the command, “Do not be afraid.” This seems cruel at times in our lives. We think, “How could I not be afraid God?” That’s honest. In those moments we forget who the God we serve is. The Israelites forgot that day who the God they fought for was. He is a God who fights our battles for us. So today as we continue we are going to think about our fears and re-focus our eyes on the God who calls us to not be afraid.
My Father and my God, where in my life am I afraid today? What things, conversations, situations, or people am I currently afraid of? Where have I forgotten that you are the God who goes with me in all aspects of my life? Help me today Lord to take all of my fears directly to your feet, because you care about me.
Reflection Questions:
1) Where am I afraid today?
2) Where have I been living my life on my own and forgotten to take all my fears and anxieties to God in prayer?
Lord, I know you have not forgotten your people, your Church across this globe. I come before you now on behalf of my brothers and sisters across the world who are afraid. I pray for strength and courage for them in the face of the persecution and the fear that they are facing because they follow you. Would you please protect and encourage them today?
As I read the passage again slowly, I listen for anything that You would say to me in it. Help me see how to position my life in order to yield to your word…
Now the Philistines gathered their armies for battle. And they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered, and encamped in the Valley of Elah, and drew up in line of battle against the Philistines. And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs, and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. And his shield-bearer went before him. He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
1 Samuel 17:1-11
Yielding Prayer
Lord, the fears in my life, that I identified early, I give them to you. I surrender all my fears, my worries, and my anxieties at your feet. I know and I trust that they are better in your hands than they are in mine. I believe you are the God who fights for me and I cling to that.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me says to me in 2 Timothy 1:7……..
“…for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
2 Timothy 1:7
Closing Prayer
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we pray, that we might be grounded and settled in your truth by the coming of your Holy Spirit into our hearts. What we do not know, reveal to us; what is lacking within us, make complete; that which we do know, confirm in us; and keep us blameless in your service through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1
1St. Clement of Rome