P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Today, John continues to push us to reflect on the lives we live and we rest in the truth that we have Jesus who is advocating on our behalf.
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
O God, for you alone my soul waits in silence in this moment. I wait in your presence for my salvation comes from you and from you alone. You alone are my rock and my fortress. In you I place my trust. (Psalm 62:1-2) I ask that your Holy Spirit would fill me as I enter in.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Hebrews 4:14-16…
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Today we are reflecting on the words of the Lord in 1 John 2:1-2, where we read:
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2
John’s heart for the church is beautiful. His hope is clear. He wants the children of God to pursue holiness for God’s glory and for their good. It is a major theme of 1 John. He wants to remind them and us of the character and nature of God to inspire us to pursue the work of destroying sin in our lives. As John Owen famously stated, “be killing sin or it will be killing you.”
John is not looking for us to save ourselves by our perfection, but he is saying because of Jesus’ work on the cross that has given us a new heart we should desire and put effort towards unearthing the roots of sin that keep us entrenched and hurts our fellowship with God.
Our hope though is not in our own efforts, but in the beauty of Jesus. We have a Savior who ascended back to the right hand of God after his resurrection. And you know what he is doing there? Every moment of every day he is advocating for us to the Father. He lends us his voice in our defense. He speaks up on our behalf. His love for you is astounding.
Jesus, I ask that in the moment I am cognizant of my sin that I would run to you with it. Would you not allow shame and despair to keep me from coming to you in confession? Rid my mind of the lies of the devil that I should hold onto the sin that I have committed instead of brining it to you. Let me trust that you are my good advocate who gave his life so that I may have forgiveness.
Reflection Questions:
1) What keeps me from going to Jesus in confession?
2) Am I taking my sin to lightly, which is why I don’t go?
3) Do I not see a need for forgiveness?
4) Or do I have a belief about Jesus that makes me fear going to him in confession?
Lord, I come to you on behalf of the world and those who are in the world. I pray for those who are living in darkness and continuing in sin. I pray that you would draw them to yourself. I pray that you would bring them to a place where they know of their desperate need for you. I pray for the country that you have placed us in that continues to live in sin and turn its back on you. I ask for forgiveness and mercy on its behalf. Hear my prayer on their behalf.
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…
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2
Yielding Prayer
Jesus, take my sin. Break me of my love of sin. Give me a vision that is greater than this world’s vision for me. I surrender my life to you and your definition of holiness. Let me see clearly what my sins cost you and transform me.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Hebrews 7:25…
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 7:25
Closing Prayer
As I go from here, may I feel your love as my Father, your presence as my friend, and your mercy as my Savior. Fill me, Holy Spirit, that I may walk in step with what you would have for me today! Seal in me the truths declared from your Word. Teach my heart to bow before you as my Lord in every opportunity you give me today.