P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Jesus shows us that suffering leads to glory 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
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 97:
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all the peoples see his glory.
All worshipers of images are put to shame,
who make their boast in worthless idols;
worship him, all you gods!
Psalm 97:6-7
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Matthew 10:38-39 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 calls each and every one of us who seek to follow him to take up our crosses. He was brutally murdered when he sacrificed his life in utter suffering on the cross for our sakes. Jesus’ model is one that takes suffering and turns it into glory. It seemed the world was darkest on the cross and that Satan had won, but that was totally wrong. Jesus took the suffering on the cross and turned it into glory. He wants the same for us. Suffering in this life breaks us of our need for the things of this world and points us to a far greater future. That we can have it all in this life, but all of that ends when we enter the grave. What really matters is that if we sacrifice our lives in obedience to Jesus in this life glory waits for us in eternity. We can spend our life chasing the things of this world, but in the end, it will all be empty if we don’t follow Jesus.
Lord, I ask that you give me wisdom and insight into what it means to take up my cross. Fill me with your Spirit and convict me of where I am trying to find my life, value, and purpose here on this earth.
1) What does it look like for me to take up my cross? What kind of sacrifices could that include?
2) What does it look like for me to follow Jesus in my world?
3) Where am I trying to find my value, worth, and purpose through the created things of this world?
4) What does it look like to lose my life for Jesus’ sake?
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
Jesus, give me strength in these difficult things. Allow me not to give up the things of this world to try to earn your love for me. Let me see right now how much you love me and the beauty of who you are. Show me your glory and show me that my suffering in this life is not worthless, but it makes me more like you each and every day.
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.