P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We take a step back today after looking at Zacchaeus and look at a man who didn’t see that he was lost and saw no need for a Savior in his life.
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, this Advent season would you give me a longing for you? Give me a longing to see you for who you are. Spare me from the distractions and busyness that hide your face from me. Allow me as I enter into your presence to be filled with your joy and peace as I seek you at this moment. Holy Spirit open my eyes to what you have for me today.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 92:
“But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;
you have poured over me fresh oil.
My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.“
Psalm 92: 10 -11
Today we are reflecting on the words of Jesus in Luke 18, where we read:
“And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Luke 18: 18 – 30
This guy is rich, he’s young, and he’s a ruler. He seems to have it all going on and he knows it. He comes to Jesus not looking for Jesus but looking for something that he hopes Jesus can give to him. That’s the first red flag. The second red flag is that he sees Jesus only as a Good Teacher. So, Jesus gives him the list and this guy has the audacity to say he has kept them from his youth. He obviously missed the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus gave in the Book of Matthew which disqualifies everyone, but Jesus. Jesus knows this man’s heart. He knows just like Zacchaeus that he has a deformed heart that loves money above all else. When asked he couldn’t give up his wealth and he walked away dejected. Jesus issues a warning about the dangers of money and how difficult it is to have all your needs fulfilled without a second thought. His reminder, in the end, is that what awaits the people of God in eternity can never be matched by the things of this earth.
Jesus, give me eyes for eternity. Break me of my desires of this earth that keep me from true intimacy with you.
1) What is the one thing that Jesus asked me to give up in my life that would make me walk away dejected?
Lord, I come to you lost in need of a Savior. Revive my heart and reorder what I love in this life so that you are number one. I ask that you would revive those who are lost in my family, in my workplace, in my city, and in this nation. Would you pour out your Spirit in a supernatural way in this Advent season so that your glory would draw people to yourself?
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.
“And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Luke 18: 18 – 30
Yielding Prayer
Jesus, I surrender all that I have. The things that I have white-knuckled throughout my life thus far, I open my hands and I lay them at your feet. Show me how satisfying you are in the face of all of the lies of this culture. Draw me to yourself.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Luke 18:27
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.“
Luke 18:27
Closing Prayer
We turn to you, Lord God, Father Almighty. And with pure hearts, we offer to you our best and truest thanks, as much as we can in our weakness.
With all of our hearts, we pray for your exceeding kindness. In your good pleasure, stoop down to hear our prayers, and drive out the enemy from our thoughts and actions.
Increase our faith, guide our understanding, give us kingdom thoughts, and lead us to your spiritual joy through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.
Augustine of Hippo
*The P.R.A.Y. acronym has been adapted from the Lectio 365 app.