P.R.A.Y

PAUSE

REJOICE & REFLECT

ASK

YIELD

Personal Worship

Jesus teaches us to pray not for our own kingdoms to rule and reign but for the Lord’s to.

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 come into this time with you today I remind myself that this time is not spent in vain. In this moment the God who created all things hears my prayers and the cries of my heart. He doesn’t just hear me, but he speaks to me. So speak now Lord for your servant is listening.

Rejoice and Reflect

We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 116:8-9:

For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord
    in the land of the living.

Psalm 116:8-9

As I read the passage, I am asking the Lord to reveal a word or phrase that stands out to me.

Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:2-11

As I reread the passage, I am reflecting on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”

Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Matthew 5:2-11

We live in a world that looks more like the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) than this part of the Lord’s prayer. Jesus teaches us that it is about God’s kingdom and his name ruling and reining on this earth just like it is in heaven. Our sinful hearts though want our kingdom and our will to be done. That is why this reminder and invitation from Jesus in the Lord’s prayer is so necessary for our lives. We need to humbly come to God and say it is not my kingdom or my will that I am living for today, but it is yours. The Beatitudes show us what the kingdom of God looks like. It is a kingdom that values what heaven values and not what this earth values.

Ask

Lord, I ask that you would speak to me now. Teach me what it looks like for your kingdom and your will to be done here on this earth.

What do I need to confess to God about living for my own kingdom and will?
What Beatitudes stick out to me? Why?
Where do I need to ask the Holy Spirit to help me desire the kingdom of God over the kingdoms of this world that are so enticing?

Lord, we humbly seek your forgiveness and mercy. We have sinned against you and wandered far from your ways. We’ve failed to love, obey, and offer others the forgiveness we’ve received and the mercy we’ve been shown. We repent of our sins. We return to you seeking revival, renewal, and restoration. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and let our lives and our relationships reflect Jesus Christ. Revive us, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Yield

As I read the passage for the final time, I listen for how the Lord is inviting me to respond to him. Where in my life do I need to yield in obedience to what he has for me?

Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Matthew 5:2-11

Yielding Prayer

Lord, it is your kingdom and your will that matter not my own. I confess that all too often I am living for my own kingdom and will. Break me of that desire. Fill me with your Spirit that I would care more about what you are doing than what I am doing. Thank you for being the God who cares about this earth and all those in it.

Yielding Promise

And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Matthew 6:6:

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:6

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.