P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Today, we come to Jesus, remembering that following him is not an addition to our lives, but the surrender of our lives to his call.
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, you are the Creator of heaven and earth. You have power over all things. When you speak, all the atoms of the earth obey. Remind me of who you are. In the midst of all of your power, you are still good. Give me trust and belief in you today.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 16…
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8:18-22
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?”
Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8:18-22
Jesus speaks honestly about the cost of discipleship. One man wants to follow him wherever he goes, but Jesus reminds him that following the Son of Man may mean giving up comfort and security. Another wants to delay obedience, but Jesus calls him to follow now. Together, we are reminded that Jesus does not hide the cost of discipleship, but he also reveals that he is worth more than anything we leave behind. His call is not casual; it is urgent, gracious, and complete. We follow because he is life itself.
Lord, I ask that you show me and let me hear the call you have for my life and fill me with your Spirit that I may respond accordingly.
Lord Jesus, revive our willingness to follow you wherever you lead. Free us from delayed obedience, divided hearts, and comfortable discipleship. Make us ready to follow you with joy, courage, and surrender.
As I read the passage for the final time, I listen to 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?
Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”
Matthew 8:18-22
Yielding Prayer
Lord Jesus, I yield my excuses, my hesitation, and my attachment to comfort. Help me follow you today without delay. Give me a heart that says yes to your call, even when obedience costs me something.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in John 8…
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
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