P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Paul points us today to the hope we have because God is faithful.
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 we enter into the Advent season I ask that you would meet with me. That I may experience the God who chose to come to earth to be the Savior that I could not be for myself. Remind me that you are the God who has come and that you will come again. Speak to me now.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 150:
Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:3-6
As you read the passage, ask the Lord to reveal a word or phrase that stands out to you.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
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?”
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Paul in this passage reminds us of the hope we have because of who God is. As we look at our world it can be easy to lose hope. Paul calls us not to, not because of us or our circumstances, but because of who God is. God is faithful. As we wait for his return we are not lacking in any gift. He will sustain us by his power.
Lord, I ask that you would sustain me. This life is hard and laborious at times and I need your power and your faithfulness to sustain me. I ask for it now.
Lord, this Advent season I ask that you would revive my heart. Remind me and fill me with your Spirit that you are the God who entered into his creation. Let that spark a deep desire to experience you in this season. Pour out your Spirit in a supernatural way over these next weeks so that I might see your glory afresh.
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?
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I give thanks to you for the grace of God you have given me in Christ Jesus. I praise you that I am not lacking in anything because I have you. Let me yield in obedience to what you have called me to because you are faithful to sustain me until I see you face to face. Fill me with your Spirit and let me experience you now.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Isaiah 9:6:
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
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.