P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Today we see what happened on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell on the people of God.
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
Abba, Father as you welcome me into this time with you, accept my praise and adoration as a love offering. Fine-tune my hearing by the power of your Spirit that I might hear what you have to say to me. Still, my voice so that I may give you room to share what is on your heart for me, and fill my heart with the joy that comes from being so close to you.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 25:
Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Psalm 25:8-10
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Acts 2, where we read:
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Acts 2:1-13
Imagine what that day must have been like. A day when the power of the Holy Spirit fell in a new way. A day that they had been waiting and anticipating. A day that can only be described as supernatural. A day when God gave a glimpse of the great power that the Holy Spirit provides. Speaking in tongues is one of many ways that the Holy Spirit can manifest its power, but it is a very public and visible way. Some saw it and were amazed and astonished, but there was also another response. Some mocked that these people had too much wine. You would imagine that such a supernatural day would bring amazement and astonishment upon all who witnessed, but some didn’t care for it at all. It is easy for me 2,000 years later to mock the mockers, but this happens in our world and in my life today. It is easy in our hyper–natural world to let the supernatural pass us right on by. It is easy in our hyper-natural world to rationalize and write off the supernatural. The Holy Spirit is powerful. He was on the day of Pentecost and he still is today.
Lord, open my eyes to the Holy Spirit. Take away all fears and all the illusions I have about who he is. Show me the same power that the Holy Spirit manifested at Pentecost has not disappeared. Give me the desire to see a move of the Holy Spirit that leaves me in awe and amazement
1)When was the last time I was amazed and astonished by something?
2)Have I ever witnessed a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit?
3)Does reading about Pentecost produce in me a desire to see something like that happen again today? Why or why not?
We join with the Sons of Korah praying a prayer of revival from Psalm 85:
Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin.
You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.
Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation
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.
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Acts 2:1-13
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I live in a world that is obsessed with the rational and logical. I live in a world that is consumed by what I can see, touch, hear, taste, and smell. I live in a world where if it can’t be measured it didn’t happen. Open my eyes to a power that is supernatural. A power that comes from the Spirit and fills your people. I desire to see a day like Pentecost happen again. A day that leads to praise and astonishment about who you are! Fill me with your Spirit as you did on that day in history and let my response be one of amazement and astonishment.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Acts 1:8:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth
Acts 1:8
Closing Prayer
Lord, the full meaning of the word “Abba” is “Father, I will obey you” and that is what I desire to do as I go about my day now. Fill me with your Spirit that I may receive and use the gifts that you have made available to me. Grant me opportunities this day to glorify your Son by my obedience to your commands. And let me see some fruit today to encourage my faith and diminish my unbelief.
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.