P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Jesus gives us a picture of what abiding in him looks like.
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, I ask that you would meet with me at this moment. Let me experience you deeply. Pour out your Spirit on this time. Let me rest in the fact that you know everything about me and that there is nothing I can hide from you, yet you promise to draw near to me when I draw near to you. You are the God who draws near to his people and I ask that you would do the same for me now.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 148:
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Psalm 148:3-6
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in John 15, where we read:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned
John 15:1-6
You can imagine Jesus walking through a vineyard with his disciples as he teaches them what it looks like to abide in him. Looking at a vineyard where some of the branches are growing wild and bearing fruit, while some have fallen and died. The difference is what the branches are connected to. The best and healthiest of branches instantly begins to die when it is disconnected from what gives it life. Also, branches don’t have to try to produce fruit when they are connected. They are not striving and squeezing to produce fruit because they don’t need to. They were created to bear fruit when they are connected to the vine. On the other hand, imagine a disconnected branch still thinking it could produce fruit. It would be idiotic to think a branch that is disconnected and dead on the ground could do anything at all. It is a beautiful picture that Jesus gives his disciples and us in this teaching about abiding in him. In life when we are connected and abiding in him fruit comes naturally. When we are constantly in communion with him we are transformed to look more like him. We don’t need to strive in his presence we just need to be in it.
Jesus, teach my heart to abide in you. Draw me near in your presence. I ask that you show me where I am striving and forgetting to rest in you. Keep me connected to you.
1)What does it look like for me to abide in Jesus?
2)Where am I striving in his presence instead of resting in connection with him?
Lord, revive your people by drawing us to yourself. As we seek to abide, ask, and follow you over this next season would you do only you can do? Revive our hearts and pour out your Spirit among us. Wake those who are asleep and resurrect those who are spiritually dead. We ask that you come in a supernatural way to meet with your Church as we unify under one banner and cry out to you!
As I read the passage again slowly, I listen for anything that You would say to me in it. Help me see how to position my life in order to yield to your word.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned
John 15:1-6
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I lay down all my striving. My striving which draws attention to my own power and success. Break me from trying to do any of this on my own. Show me that a life well lived is a life that is connected to you and you alone. Let abiding in you be the goal of my life.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in James 4:8
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
James 4:8
Closing Prayer
Lord, you have met with me today. You have poured out your Spirit and wisdom on me. Let me now leave being renewed by who you are and who I am in you. Let me be a light in a dark world that points people to your glory.
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.