P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Jesus did not just seek and save the lost while he was on this earth, but he does after his ascension and continues to do it 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
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 93:
“The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
Your throne is established from of old;
you are from everlasting.
The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!
Your decrees are very trustworthy;
holiness befits your house,
O Lord, forevermore.”
Psalm 93: 1 – 5
Today we are reflecting on the words of Jesus in Acts 9, here we read:
“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.”
Acts 9: 1 – 22
The conversion of Saul doubles down on the truth that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. While Saul was still breathing threats and murder against Jesus’ people Jesus met him. Saul at that moment was lost in such a way that he was a literal enemy of Jesus. He was trying to destroy what Jesus had begun with his disciples and his church. So what does Jesus do? He doesn’t wipe Saul off the face of the planet, even though he could have. Instead, Jesus invites his enemy into his family. He meets, calls, and transforms Saul. In a second Saul is changed forever. It is a gut check on the human boundaries we put on the grace of Jesus. No one is outside of the reach of the grace of Jesus even murderers. That is the hope we cling to this Advent season. That Jesus Christ came to seek and save the lost of which we all are.
Jesus, I ask that you would give me a vision for people like you have for them. That you see humanity and all of its evil and you don’t run away. In fact, you run towards the lost. Make that the ethic of my life.
1) How does this story help me redefine the grace of Jesus?
2) Who am I praying for specifically that is lost and needs to know Jesus?
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.
“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened.
For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.”
Acts 9: 1 – 22
Yielding Prayer
Lord, I surrender my opinions and judgments of others at your feet right now. I surrender my control at your feet right now. Your grace knows no bounds, yet I sometimes believe it should. Forgive me for those thoughts. Transform me into a vehicle of your grace that knows no bounds. Give me a heart that runs towards the lost so that I can show them a Jesus who loves them and cares for them.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Romans 5:10:
“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.“
Romans 5:10
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.