P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
This coming Sunday will be our first in the season of Advent! Advent is a season of preparing our hearts for the coming of our Savior. Our focus will be on the purpose of Jesus’ coming, in other words, we are going to meditate on what Jesus came to do for his people.
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 approach your throne today would you open my eyes to your Scriptures? I ask that you would make your Word burn in my heart as I meet with you.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 25…
“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.”
Psalm 25: 1-3
Today we are reflecting on the words of Jesus in John 3, where we read:
“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
John 3: 1-4
We open up the week reflecting on Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a member of the Pharisees who staunchly oppose Jesus during his life, hence why he came to Jesus at night. The overlooked portion of this story is the curiosity about Jesus that Nicodemus has. He is part of a group that had already made up their minds about who Jesus is, yet Nicodemus comes intrigued by Jesus. We see that he doesn’t have all of the answers about Jesus, but he comes in humility wanting to know.
Jesus hits him with maybe the most confusing bit of information anybody can receive. Jesus says in order to enter into the kingdom of God you must be born again. Nicodemus not knowing what maybe you and I know is shocked about someone going through a physical birth again. Jesus will explain what he means to Nicodemus and us tomorrow. Today though think and meditate on what it looks like to come to Jesus in humility with questions about wanting to know him more.
Jesus, I ask for a curiosity about you as Nicodemus had. A curiosity that comes humbly wanting to know more. I ask that you draw me in intrigue that I might know you.
1)Is there a difference in my eyes between humble curiosity and prideful curiosity? What does it look like to be humbly curious?
2)What question would I ask Jesus if he was in front of me right now?
Lord, we ask that you would come and meet your Church in power this Advent season. As we prepare our hearts to celebrate your arrival on this earth, would you pour out your Spirit on your people? This season open our eyes afresh to the work that you are doing in us and through us. Break us of the busyness and the noise as we seek to see your face. Show us your glory.
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…
“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
John 3: 1-4
Yielding Prayer
Jesus, I come to you humbly knowing that we are not equals. I yield my life to your word. You are the only answer to the questions spinning in my head. Would you allow me to humbly receive whatever answer you give me when I ask? Teach my heart to trust in you.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Matthew 7…
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Matthew 7: 7-11
Closing Prayer
Jesus, you entered into humanity to save the world. Let me experience your love and mercy as I go from this moment. Give me your Spirit to live a life in my humanity that points others to you in order that they too might be saved.
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.