P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We saw the heart of Jesus yesterday and out of that heart, he has a command for us today.
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
Jesus, as I enter into your presence now I ask that you would help my unbelief. I am like the father of the boy in Mark 9, I believe, but I need your help in my unbelief. You say all things are possible for one who believes and as I enter your presence to pray help me to believe that you are the God who controls all things, knows all things, and in that, you hear your child speak to you at this moment.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 34…
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing..
Psalm 34: 8-10
Today we are reflecting on the words of Jesus in Matthew 9, where we read:
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Matthew 9:37-38
Jesus’ compassion for those who do not know him leads to a lesson and a command for his disciples. Jesus’ logic here is that there are harassed and helpless people out in the world because Jesus is not their shepherd, and laborers need to tell them about the gospel and who Jesus is. That is what people need and what people are ultimately desiring. They desire satisfaction that can only come from God, but they need to hear about it from someone. Jesus defines the problem, but also gives us a solution. The problem is that the harvest is great, but there are not enough laborers for all of the harvest. That leads us to the solution which is to pray earnestly for laborers to go out. The beautiful part is who we pray to. That the Lord is the Lord of the harvest. It is he who does the saving, but we get the honor and the privilege to be a part of the process of it all. So are we praying?
Jesus, I ask that you would teach me to pray for what you call me to pray for. Transform the desires of my heart. I ask that you give me a desire for those who do not know you. Give me an urgency that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.
1)Do I believe that the problem is a lack of a harvest or a lack of laborers?
2)What does it look like for me to pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers?
Lord, I ask that you would visit your people again. I ask that you would pour out your Spirit in a supernatural way for a season of time where your glory would open the eyes of all that see it. Would you do what only you can do? Would you do what you have done before in history? Revive your Church, revive your people, and revive your world.
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…
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Matthew 9:37-38
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I surrender my life to you. I surrender that my whole life and every aspect of it be focused on being your laborer and working for your harvest. Let my time, talent, and treasure be poured out for your glory to be known on this earth. I lay down my pride, my fears, and my reputation so that all may know you, love you and be redeemed by you.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in John 8:12 …
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
Closing Prayer
Thanks be to you, our Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given us, for all the pains and insults that you have borne for us. Most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more dearly, day by day.
Amen
St. Richard, Bishop of Chichester
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.