P.R.A.Y
PAUSE
REJOICE & REFLECT
ASK
YIELD
Personal Worship
Joseph is sold and heads down to Egypt.
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
Father, I come before you with a humble heart, longing to meet with you. Thank you for the gift of your Word and the privilege of prayer. Quiet my mind, still my spirit, and open my eyes to see your truth. May your Spirit guide me into understanding, and may my heart be soft to receive and obey. I draw near to you now, Lord, trusting that you will draw near to me.
I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 57…
For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Psalm 57:10
As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.
Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
Genesis 37:25-28
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?”
Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
Genesis 37:25-28
Judah, the stand-up guy he is, sees the traders from afar and decides he wants to get a profit out of this whole situation. They should sell him because, as Judah says, “for he is our brother, our own flesh.” They sell him for twenty pieces of silver, and Joseph is on his way to Egypt.
Lord, I ask that in the midst of unknown circumstances in this life will you show me your presence. Draw near to me now.
Join us for Pray First, set your heart on God this week, asking Him to awaken a deeper longing for His presence.
And he (Jesus) said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Luke 9:23-24
Pray: Our Father, You call us to a life of dying to self, a concept so foreign in our world. I often feel I don’t know how to do this. So I pray: show me how. Make me willing today to choose Your Kingdom over my own, Your will and Your way over any wrong way my heart desires. Break into my wandering, Lord, so that I may truly experience the abundant life You died to give us and bring you great glory!
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?
Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.
Genesis 37:25-28
Yielding Prayer
Lord, in obedience to you, let my heart never become this cold. Refresh my soul today. Show me where I need to repent and release hatred. Let me walk in accord with your Spirit.
Yielding Promise
And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Genesis 50…
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good
Genesis 50:20
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.