P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We continue in our Sacred Rhythms series where we arrive at the week of “Self-examination”.
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 approach you today I rest in the words of 1 John 4:18:
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. All things things were created to, through, and for you, and yet you shower me with your perfect love. Let that perfect love drive out any fear I have as I come into your presence today.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 118:1-4:
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
Psalm 118:1-4
As I read the passage, I am asking the Lord to reveal a word or phrase that stands out to me.
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. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:35-40
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?”
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. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:35-40
Self-examination can be terrifying especially when we think about doing it in the presence of a Holy God. So, we begin this week in John 6 right after Jesus feeds the 5,000 and we want to see who Jesus is in this passage. Right after he feeds the 5,000 and the crowd tracks him down he tells them who he is. He is the bread of life. He is the only one who can give us the satisfaction we truly desire. He is the only one who can ultimately fulfill all of our longings. There are some who see him and do not believe him, but then he tells us this truth. That the Father all who the Father gives to him will come to him. There is no obstacle too great or sin too deep to stop what the Father wants. The beautiful phrase is when Jesus says, “Whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” Never is a strong word and is rarely right when I use it, but when Jesus uses it it is perfect. All those that the Father gives to Jesus he will never cast out. This means we can trust him and we do not need to hide anything from him because he is not looking to cast us out.
Lord, I ask that you show me who you are today. Let me experience a love and a satisfaction that will never cast me out.
Lord, revival begins in me. As I focus on self-examination this week would you create in me a clean heart? You are the God who brings life out of death and I ask that you would do that in my life. Restore to me the joy of my salvation.
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?
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. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:35-40
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I praise you that you are the God who provides and can give ultimate satisfaction. Forgive me for the way I search to satisfy my longings in all the earthly things I can get my hands on. I confess that I take the good gifts you have given me and I make them God in my life. I yield today in obedience that you are the only one who can satisfy my heart. I chase after you today for exactly that.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Lamentations 3:22-23:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
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.