P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We are continuing our Pictures of God series and this week we will see how God uses the images of water and rivers to show us who he is.
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 your throne today I am reminded of your steadfast love. A love that has not forgotten me. A love that has not let me down. A love that has met me right where I am at. Remind me of who you are and let my heart turn to gratitude today.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 145…
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
Psalm 145:1-3
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 1
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?”
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 1
The Psalms open with this Psalm depicting a tree that is planted by streams of water. A tree whose life source is found in a river that does not waver when different seasons come. What a picture of life for us as we live through seemingly unstable times. What makes the difference in our lives between stability and instability? It is our trust in the Law of God. It is our participation in every season to find life in the Word of God. To turn to the Bible every step of the way.
Lord, give me delight in your Word. Make me like that tree that is planted by streams of water. Let me find life in your Word today.
Heavenly Father, we come before You, thirsty and longing for Your presence. Let Your Spirit flow through us like a mighty river, cleansing our hearts, refreshing our souls, and renewing our minds. Wash away all that hinders us from drawing near to You. Let the waters of Your grace flood our dry places, bringing life where there was once barrenness. Lord, may Your love flow like streams of mercy, uniting Your people and awakening us to Your purpose. Revive us, O God, and let Your Spirit overflow, carrying us deeper into Your will.
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?
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Psalm 1
Yielding Prayer
Lord, you have given me your Word. Let me in obedience make your Word the bedrock of my life. In every season let me enter into your Word so that I can experience you over and over again. Let me rework my life so that Scripture may be at the center of it all.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Matthew 11…
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
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.