P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We end the week gaining wisdom from Proverbs.
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, every hour I need you. I am desperate for your presence. Let me experience all you have for me today through your Word and prayer. Fill me with your Holy Spirit now.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 95…
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Psalm 95:1
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
The way of the guilty is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
Proverbs 21:1-12
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?”
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
The way of the guilty is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
Proverbs 21:1-12
Proverbs 21 gives us a picture of God’s sovereign rule and the moral arc of human actions. The passage underscores that even kings’ hearts are streams in the hands of the Lord—he directs them where he pleases. God weighs the motives behind our actions, seeing beyond our deeds to the intentions within. The one who pursues righteousness and justice finds life, but the one who ignores the cry of the poor invites divine deafness in return. These verses remind us that integrity, humility, and compassion are not optional virtues—they are the pathways to God’s favor. The wise consider their ways and the plight of the oppressed, while the foolish are blind to their own ruin. God’s justice is certain; our role is to walk humbly, act righteously, and trust fully in his guiding hand.
Lord, give me wisdom today. Make me more skillful at living this life by being transformed by your Word.
Lord, wake up your Church. Let us be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. Revive us by the supernatural power of your Holy Spirit. Bring many to faith because of our devotion to you.
As I read the passage for the final time, I listen to 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?
The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord;
he turns it wherever he will.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the heart.
To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
The getting of treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.
The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.
The way of the guilty is crooked,
but the conduct of the pure is upright.
It is better to live in a corner of the housetop
than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.
The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
When a scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
when a wise man is instructed, he gains knowledge.
The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;
he throws the wicked down to ruin.
Proverbs 21:1-12
Yielding Prayer
Sovereign Lord, you hold every heart in your hands and see every motive within. Today I yield my plans, my pride, and my pursuit of control. Lead me in paths of righteousness and justice, and search me for any wayward motive. Teach me to answer the cry of the poor and to walk humbly with you, knowing that true wisdom starts with surrender. Guide my steps and guard my heart, that I may live in a way that honors your justice and reflects your compassion. May my life be shaped by your hand and aligned with your will.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Psalm 103…
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
Psalm 103:13
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