P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Paul shows the hope and beauty that we find in God and his saving work in our lives.
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
As I enter into your presence, I wait on you, my God. You are a shield about me. You are my glory and the lifter of my head. I cry aloud to you today and I trust that you will answer me from your holy hill. (Psalm 3:3-4) I surrender this time to you and refix my gaze on who you are.
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 111:
He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!
Psalm 111:9-10
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Galatians 1:15-16a, where we read:
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me
Galatians 1:11-24
After remembering who he was, Paul tells us what happened to him. Paul in just two verses shows us how his life was turned upside down. He begins with the truth that God sets his people apart from the foundations of the earth. Before Paul was even born God was writing his story. Before Paul had any idea what was going to take place here on this earth God had a plan for him. Take a moment and make that personal. That God who created all things set you apart before you were even born. Before he crafted you in your mother’s womb he was planning to bring you into his family. How amazing is that? So today if you are feeling left out, forgotten, or feeling like you don’t fit in this world remember that you have a God who set you apart before you were even born. Then Paul continues and reminds us who call us and through which means. God calls us. Not because we were good enough and not because we had it all together. God calls us with his grace. We were God’s enemies, yet he shows us mercy. We were broken and full of sin, yet God lavishes his grace onto us. At that moment that we were called by his grace all our past sins and all of our future sins were paid for by the work of Jesus on the cross. It is all the work of God on our behalf. What is God’s disposition to us when he chooses to reveal his Son to us? It is not one of anger or disappointment. He is pleased to do. God looks upon you with pleasure when he shows you the beauty of Jesus and opens your eyes to your Savior. God doesn’t just call us for nothing, but he calls us and gives us purpose. We receive grace so we can show grace. We are found in the Savior so we can see others that were lost be found. We have received the gospel so we can unashamedly preach the gospel. We have a God who has done it all for us! We can rest in his grace.
God, you are so good to me. Show me that all I am belongs to you. Open my eyes to the truth that you called me before I was even born and you poured out your grace on me when I didn’t deserve it.
1)What do I learn about the character of God from this passage?
2)Why would God choose me before I was even born? How does that make me feel?
3)In what ways am I trying to earn his grace instead of seeing it as the perfect gift from the Father?
4)What is the purpose of my life after Jesus is revealed to me? Am I living in that?
Our Father and our God, I come to you now to ask for revival in our nation. I pray that your Spirit would fall on your Church. Would you wake us from our slumber and free us from our love of this world? I ask that you would manifest yourself in a supernatural way in this season of time and draw all people to yourself. Come in such power and glory that we would know that this was of you and not the work of human hands. Hear the cry of my heart and respond oh Lord!
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.
For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me
Galatians 1:11-24
Yielding Prayer
God, you have done it all for me. Break me of my desire to take any credit for what you have done. Break me of my desire to put myself up on the cross due to my guilt and shame, because your Son has already paid it all for me. Let me obediently rest in your grace where I find love and find who I am. Give me the courage to follow the example of Paul that sees what I have been saved from and let me boldly proclaim that truth to all those around so they too can be saved.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Titus 3:
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:3-7
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.