P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We come to the truth that God’s name is to be praised and rejoiced in.
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 come into this time with you today I remind myself that this time is not spent in vain. In this moment the God who created all things hears my prayers and the cries of my heart. He doesn’t just hear me, but he speaks to me. So speak now Lord for your servant is listening.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 116:5-6:
The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
Psalm 116:5-6
As I read the passage, I am asking the Lord to reveal a word or phrase that stands out to me.
hallowed be your name.
Matthew 6:9b
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:1-9
As I reread the passage, I am reflecting on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”
hallowed be your name.
Matthew 6:9b
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:1-9
After addressing God as Father Jesus teaches us that God is to be praised! His name is worthy of worship, reverence, and honor. He doesn’t need to hear it from us because he doesn’t know it, but our hearts need to be reminded that God is to be praised. It reminds us that God is God and we are not.
This is why Psalm 8 is so beautiful. You can imagine King David out on the balcony of his palace one night when this took place. With no street lights or electricity washing out the beauty of the stars David worships the Lord. He sees the beauty of creation and he is shocked that God would even care about him, but he does! David praises the Lord for who he is and his love and concern for him.
Lord, I ask that you would give me a heart of praise. No matter what is going on let me remember that your name is to be worshiped and praised.
Lord, we humbly seek your forgiveness and mercy. We have sinned against you and wandered far from your ways. We’ve failed to love, obey, and offer others the forgiveness we’ve received and the mercy we’ve been shown. We repent of our sins. We return to you seeking revival, renewal, and restoration. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and let our lives and our relationships reflect Jesus Christ. Revive us, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
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?
hallowed be your name.
Matthew 6:9b
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8:1-9
Yielding Prayer
Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You are the God who is worthy of all praise. Forgive me when I forget that. Today I sit at your feet in awe of who you are. Give me a life of praise that seeks to obey you in all things.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Matthew 6:6:
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6
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.
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.