P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Today we explore how pride keeps us from the fullness of God.
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
Our Father, we look to you, the one who opens rivers on the bare heights, fountains in the midst of valleys, and pools of water in the wilderness! Pour your Spirit over us afresh as we seek your face today! For we know that, with you, is abundant life. (based on Isaiah 41:18)
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the grace and love of God that I find in Isaiah 57:
And it will be said: “Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people. For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
Isaiah 57:14-15
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:5-6
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8
As I reread the passage, I reflect on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”
Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:5-6
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8
Pride is the insidious curse of all humankind. It is much like an onion in that you peel off one layer only to find another layer underneath. What makes it worse is that pride is very hard to see in ourselves! C.S. Lewis said, “There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it in ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.”
Pride can be summarized as an attitude of self-sufficiency, self-importance, and self-exaltation. It is a preoccupation with self in any way. We tend to think that pride is found only in those who are rich, powerful, successful, famous, or self-righteous. But pride takes many shapes and forms and afflicts us all to some degree. For example, if you tend to believe (and behave) as if your way is always the best and right way (even if it’s subconscious – which it often is) that’s pride. Or, if you spend an inordinate amount of time worrying about what other people think, that’s pride. Or, if you’re overly critical of others, that’s pride. And those are just some of the many tricky ways pride creeps in.
As people who are seeking the fullness of God, we have to recognize how pride trips us up. When we are focused on (or full of) ourselves, it is impossible to truly love God and others. D.L. Moody says, “God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves.” Yikes!
So how do we fight against pride? Well, in the power of the Spirit, we look to Jesus’ (see the Philippians passage above) who, though he is heaven’s high king, humbled himself and came to this earth to serve and love all; and then we follow his example by humbling ourselves in obedience to God, who has given us all we are and have (lest we should boast) and in service to and love for all. As we intentionally look after others’ interests and count others more significant than ourselves, our hearts become humble and soft places in which the Spirit of the Lord is delighted to dwell!
Gracious Father, I feel like every day I need to do a “pride check!” I so want to be focused on you and others! Please show me how and where this insidious evil lures me away, causing me to focus on myself and my ways and my agendas over yours. Right now, O Lord, I ask you to search my heart and show me any wicked way in me. Make my heart a place in which you delight to dwell!
Lord, I want all of you that there is to have! I want that personally, I want that for Rio, and I want that for the Church here in South Florida! So, give us faith for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our day! And teach us to wait on you, to listen for your voice, to pray persistently for your Empowering Presence, and then to walk in your power. Do a great work through us for the sake of your Kingdom and your glory!
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?
Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:5-6
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8
Yielding Prayer
“It is not so much our littleness that hinders Christ as our bigness. It is not so much our weakness that hinders Christ as our strength. It is not our darkness, but our supposed light that holds back His power” (Unknown author). Lord, you offer me fullness, power and freedom. Help me take my eyes off of myself and firmly place them on you! Thank you for all you have given and done for me! Make me a vessel fit for the fullness of your presence!
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Galatians 5:
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Galatians 5:13
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.