P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Today we receive the people of Christ with humility and love, remembering that even small acts of service matter deeply to our Lord.
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, draw near to me by the power of your Word. Let your Holy Spirit fall on me and bring not only understanding but transformation.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 41…
Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him;
the Lord protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
Psalm 41:1-2
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:40-42
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?”
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:40-42
Jesus teaches that to receive his messengers is to receive him, and to receive him is to receive the Father who sent him. The kingdom of God is not only displayed in great acts of courage but also in simple acts of welcome, honor, and mercy. Even a cup of cold water given to one of Christ’s little ones does not go unnoticed. We are reminded that Jesus sees the hidden service of his people. Nothing done in his name is wasted, forgotten, or small in his eyes.
Lord, give me eyes to see people as you see them. Fill me with your Spirit and let me welcome all whom you place in my path.
Lord Jesus, revive us with humble love for your people. Open our eyes to the small acts of mercy you place before us and make our lives a place of welcome, encouragement, and faithful service.
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?
“Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:40-42
Yielding Prayer
Lord, we yield our time, attention, and resources to you. Teach us to receive others as we receive you, to serve without needing applause, and to trust that every act done in your name matters to you.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Matthew 10…
“And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
Matthew 10:42
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