P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
As we continue in our Sacred Rhythms series our focus this week is on Scripture.
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
Lord, as I enter into your presence today I desire you to speak because your servant is listening.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 111:1-5:
Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
Psalm 111:1-5
As you read the passage, ask the Lord to reveal a word or phrase that stands out to you.
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them
Psalm 115:2-8
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Psalm 115:2-8, where we read:
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them
Psalm 115:2-8
We begin the week by differentiating the idols or the “little g” gods in our lives versus the one true God. John Calvin describes the human heart as “Idol making factories.” This idea and truth is that because of our fallen nature, we take the good gifts from God and make them God in and of themselves. We take money, our families, our jobs, our reputations, others’ opinions of us, and a thousand other things and we let those things become the ultimate things in our lives that we live for. This Psalm does a beautiful job of reminding us that those things are not alive. We at times let them control our lives, but they don’t hear us or speak to us. We have a God who speaks though. A God who is alive and active in our lives and in our world. A God who desires to speak to us and to hear us. And the primary way that he speaks is through Scripture.
Lord, I ask that you would speak to me today. I ask that you would reveal what you want to say to me. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear you today.
Let’s pray. O God, O God, you know, the world is spinning on. Time is getting less and running out. Children are becoming youth, and youth becoming middle-aged, and middle-aged are getting old and dying. And you have said redeem the time for the days are evil. Lord, please don’t let us fail here. Lord, you do want us to be revived again. You do want to revive your people, Lord, individual people. And then, if the number of individual people can band together, then the church has been revived. God, revive your people. Grant, Lord, to help.
– A.W. Tozer
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.
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them
Psalm 115:2-8
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I confess all of the things that I allow to become idols in my life. Those areas of my life where I forget that you are the God who speaks and hears me. Fill me with a love for your Scriptures. Give me a trust that leads to obedience to what you say to me through the Scriptures.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Isaiah 40:8:
The grass withers, the flower fades,
but the word of our God will stand forever.
Isaiah 40:8
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.