P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
We are continuing our “Death to Life” series this week. This week our big idea is following Jesus means learning to live in light of the Great and Final Day to come (even if that costs you your money).
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
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me. Amen.
*Prayer of Saint Patrick
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Isaiah 26:
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:3
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:13-15
As I reread the passage, I reflect on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:13-15
This series we are focused on what it looks like for us to follow Jesus. The main theme that will be repeated over and over is that if we want to follow Jesus it means that we have to learn how to live our current days in light of the Great and Final Day to come. This week we are focused on living a life like that even if it costs us our money. This week we need to remember that money is not evil, the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus seems short with this man asking him to speak about an inheritance situation with his brother. Jesus shows us how serious of a topic this is for us because he gives the crowd that day and us today a sober warning. We need to be on guard against covetousness because no one is immune from it. The Greek word used here for coveting (pleonexia) has to do with excess. It refers to the acquisitive attitude of always wanting more, beyond what we even need. The covetous heart is never satisfied. Janwillem van de Wetering offers this memorable description: “Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth, and whatever you feed it is never enough.” Even when you get what you want—the job, the home, the automobile, the furniture, the clothing, the merchandise—you soon find yourself craving something more. That is what Jesus is pointing us to today.
Lord, I ask that you reveal to me where my heart is covetous. Show me the places I may not even know about today.
Lord, this week break me of my desire to build up my kingdom on this earth. Break me of my desire to store up treasure here on this earth. Revive my heart to trust in who you are. Fill me with your Spirit and give me a renewed vision for my purpose here on this earth when it comes to material goods.
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?
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
Luke 12:13-15
Yielding Prayer
Lord, you never hid the fact from me that following you would come with costs. Let me yield in obedience today that money is not my master or my goal. Break me of my inclination to love money. Help me see a more abundant life of living without white knuckle syndrome, where I hold onto everything and try to control it myself.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Ephesians 3:
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20
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.