P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Jesus shows us the character of God today.
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
We join King David as we pray the words of Psalm 86:
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 91:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.
Psalm 91:1-2
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Matthew 5:45b where we read:
For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matthew 5:45b
Yesterday, Jesus commanded us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Today he gives us an insight into why. Jesus tells us that God is a God who gives good gifts indiscriminately to all. The sun does not shine exclusively on those who we deem good. The rain does not pass over those who we deem evil. God makes the sun rise it is under his control. God’s provisions extend to the whole human race and it is not limited. God does not limit his blessings to those who serve him faithfully. Even to those who oppose him he still gives many good things. That’s why Jesus comes to us as fully God and commands us to love our enemies because he has loved his.
Lord, your common grace falls on all. I praise you that you are the God who is good. I ask that you show me what it looks like to love like you have loved.
1)What does this passage teach me about God?
2)What is my initial reaction to this passage?
3)What can I praise God for from this passage?
Lord, you are mighty to save and I ask that you would look upon your people with favor. See us in our brokenness and meet us. Would you power out your presence and power on us? Send your Holy Spirit. Bring revival to our land and let us glorify you because of it.
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.
For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Matthew 5:45b
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I thank you that you are the God who gives us the light and the rain. Two things that keep us alive and provide beauty! I ask now that you would make me like you. Let me not discriminate by withholding my love from those whom I deem don’t deserve it. Let me love people well today so your glory is seen.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Romans 5:10:
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
Romans 5:10
Closing Prayer
Lord, enable me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love you today with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to serve you today, by loving and caring for others as I do my own self; and, to exalt you today, by telling the people in my world about the abundant and eternal life found only through faith in Jesus.
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.