P.R.A.Y

PAUSE

REJOICE & REFLECT

ASK

YIELD

Personal Worship

Today our focus is the response of the people who saw the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000.

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.

Pause

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

Lord, as I enter into this time would you speak to me through your Word? I am here for you. Let me experience all that you have for me today.

Rejoice and Reflect

We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 103:

As for man, his days are like grass;
    he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
    and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
    and his righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep his covenant
    and remember to do his commandments.
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
    and his kingdom rules over all.

Psalm 103:15-19

Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in John 6, where we read:

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

John 6:25-36

This scene takes place right after Jesus has fed the 5,000-plus people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Imagine being there and thinking no chance I get to eat anything if that’s all a crowd this size has to eat and much to your surprise there ends up being extra. An absolutely astounding miracle. How did the crowd respond? I think the normal way and the way you and I would have if we were honest about it. They followed Jesus and wanted him for what he could do for them. They saw his miraculous power and they wanted more. They were going to settle for having their stomachs filled again when Jesus tells them there is so much more than that and he is telling us the very same thing today.

Ask

Lord, I ask that you would let me experience this story like I was there. Show me who you are and who I am because of that. Speak to my heart now.

What is God showing me about himself, his people, my life, or me?
Where do I doubt the Lord’s ability to satisfy my longings and desires?
Where in my life am I living like Jesus is the means to the goal and not the goal himself?

Lord, you are the God who sees and knows all things and we ask that you hear our cries now. We cry out to you to bring about the supernatural spiritual awakening of your people. We ask that you would bring revival here at Rio, to the other churches in our community, to our city, and to our country. Begin first in us.

Yield

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.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

John 6:25-36

Yielding Prayer

Jesus, you are the bread of life. Forgive me for seeking satisfaction and fulfillment in all the earthly things I can get my hands on. I yield in obedience that you are the source of everything that I desire and long for. Fill me with your Spirit that I may seek after you and you alone.

Yielding Promise

And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Ephesians 3:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

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.