P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
As Jesus healed the woman yesterday, we remember today that Jairus was looking on and waiting.
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
Jesus, I come into your presence as one who is weary and heavy-burdened and I am looking for rest. The yoke of this world is too heavy for me to carry. Teach me and show me your humble and gentle heart at this time. Let me find the rest that my soul is looking for. Give me your yoke that is easy and your burden that is light.
*Adapted from Matthew 11:28-30
We choose to rejoice in the power of God’s Word, with all his people in Psalm 106:
1 Praise the Lord!
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Who can utter the mighty deeds of the Lord,
or declare all his praise?
3 Blessed are they who observe justice,
who do righteousness at all times!
4 Remember me, O Lord, when you show favor to your people;
help me when you save them,
5 that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,
that I may glory with your inheritance.
Psalm 106:1-5
Today we are reflecting on the words of Scripture in Luke 8:49-50, where we read:
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”
Luke 8:49-50
We looked at the beautiful miracle of the healing of the woman over the past two days. We started with a man named Jairus. Jairus who begged Jesus to go save his daughter and Jesus who stopped to heal this woman. Jairus I’m sure was looking on just waiting for Jesus to get moving. His little girl was dying and I’m sure Jairus was asking himself why does Jesus continue to stop and heal people? Every minute mattered and these seemed to be wasted in his mind.
A messenger comes in the midst of this and says no need to worry Jesus anymore, your daughter is dead. In that moment Jairus’ heart must have broken in two. Grief had to overwhelm him. I’m sure he didn’t know what to do or say. Jesus breaks in and says “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”
Jairus has a choice. He has just seen the power of faith in Jesus to heal the woman before his very eyes. Jesus is telling him to do the impossible. To hear that his daughter has died and not be overcome with fear, but only believe. Faith is the antithesis of fear. Faith and fear are in opposition. We can either be afraid of all the things that might go wrong, have gone wrong, or will go wrong, or we can trust that Jesus will see us through no matter what happens. We face this choice in all aspects of life. Am I afraid of what might happen to my children? Always being fearful of what could happen physically, spiritually, mentally, or emotionally. Or will I entrust them to God’s care? We have this choice with everything so just fill in the blank with what is on your mind now.
Jesus is not asking Jairus or us to exercise blind faith. He is asking us to trust who he is and who he has shown himself to be.
Lord, show me my fear and my unbelief. Show me who you are. Teach my heart like you taught Jairus’ heart.
Lord, we join with the psalmists as we pray for revival (Psalm 85:4-9):
4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
that glory may dwell in our land.
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.
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.”
Luke 8:49-50
Yielding Prayer
Lord, you are the God of all things and are in ultimate control of everything. Forgive me for my unbelief and the times I try to micromanage my life and hold onto everything too tightly. Teach my heart now to trust you in faith. Let me release the things and the people I love over to you knowing you love me and them more than I ever could.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Romans 8:11:
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
Romans 8:11
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.