P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
John shows us what the love of God 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
Father God,
As I enter into your presence I ask that you meet with me here. I call upon the Words that you gave your people in Jeremiah 32. I ask that I would be a member of your people and that you would be my God. That you would give me a heart that will fear you forever. Remember your everlasting covenant to me now and do not turn away from doing good to me. Give me a heart that fears you and does not let me turn from you. Show me your kindness today. Amen.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 111…
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
Psalm 111:3-4
Today we are reflecting on the words of John in 1 John 3:16-18, where we read:
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:16-18
John tells us that we know love because Jesus laid down his life for us. Because we have been given great love we are called to love greatly. A love that is not self-seeking, but a love that sacrifices everything for our brother.
John warns us against indifference in this life. That if we see a brother in need we are called to respond. A heart that lacks love is a heart filled with indifference. It won’t matter in the end what our theology is if we lack love. We are to practice love in this life.
Jesus, I ask that you would show me the indifference in my heart. Show me where my selfishness is usurping the role of love in my life. Let me experience your love in a way that overflows in action in my life.
Reflection Questions:
1) Have I received and experienced the sacrificial love of Jesus in my life?
2) Where am I indifferent to those around me currently?
Lord,
Today I pray the prayer that Ezekiel prayed over the dry bones in the valley. I pray it over the dry bones of our nation. I ask and plead with you as I pray:
O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:4-6)
Revive us, Lord.
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…
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:16-18
Yielding Prayer
God, shows me your love. Let me experience your love in a way that spurns me to action. Break me of my indifference. Let my heart break for what breaks your heart. Transform my life from one that only cares about me and me alone to one that loves actively. Give me eyes to see the suffering in the world around me and give me a heart that cares to do something about it.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in John 3:16-21…
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.
John 3:16-21
Closing Prayer
Lord,
Thank you for meeting with me in this time. As I go from here fill me with your Spirit. Do not let me forget who you are or who I am in light of that. Make me your ambassador to my family, friends, and in my workplace. Pour out your love and mercy on me as I pour it out on all those that I will come into contact with this day. Let those around me see you as I live for you. Amen.