P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Jesus makes clear the division that may arise from following 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 today I remind myself that you are the God who makes known to me the path of life. In you, there is fullness of joy and at your right hand, there are pleasures forevermore. With that reminder, I ask that you meet with me now.
*Adapted from Psalm 16:11
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 96:
Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”
Psalm 96:10
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Matthew 10:35-36 where we read:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:34-39
Jesus shows us today what he means by bringing a sword. His example today is all about the division in the home. Homes that are divided are more common in our modern world than they were before. For the people in Jesus’ day, this would have been a wild statement that conflict would come into a home because of Jesus. A man’s and a woman’s deepest loyalty would be to their family. A father was due the utmost authority to being the head of the household. A mother was due loyalty by her family as well. A daughter-in-law became a part of the family she was married into and her loyalties would be to that family. Jesus is saying because of who I am, what I preach, and the mission I am on division is bound to happen. Even in the places you may not expect it like the home, people will be divided over who I am and who you say I am. Jesus is saying that obedience to me and who I am can be a lonely responsibility. If your own family members can become your enemies because of this then everywhere else can as well.
Jesus, as I reason and soak this text in would you give me understanding? Meet me at this moment and fill me with your Spirit.
1) Where do my loyalties lie?
2) Do I think Jesus is being too harsh here?
3) What do I think the bottom line is of what Jesus is saying here?
Jesus, revive our hearts. You have come to give your people abundant life. An abundant life that can only come from you. Break us of our desires for this earth that promise to satisfy us, but leave us empty inside. Give us a spirit of repentance to turn from the ways of this world and come back into union with you. In our brokenness would you fill us mightily with your Spirit? May all the glory and praise belong to you.
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.
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 10:34-39
Yielding Prayer
Lord, give me the courage to obey you. In a world of so many loyalties would you transform my heart to make you number one? Let me take the hard sayings to heart. Let me not pass over them and move on until you have touched my heart. Give me a heart that sees your beauty and chases after you above all else.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Matthew 28:20:
And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age
Matthew 28:20
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.