Week 28 Day 1
I. Prayer to enter the Lord’s presence:
Be still for a moment. “Lord, I give the day that is now past to you. It is yours. I give the day that is to come to you; help me to see where you are working and to join you there. Speak to me during these moments. I commit them and myself to you.”
II. Prayer of Confession:
“Lord, you are faithful to forgive me and cleanse me of my sin when I confess it to you. I confess my sin(s) of ______________. Thank you for forgiveness.” (1 John 1:9)
III. Prayer of Thanksgiving:
Choose to be thankful, speak out loud of what God has done.
“Thank you, Father, for _________________. Fill my heart and my mouth with gratitude throughout this day.”
IV. Scripture Reflection
Read
“Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, ‘Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.’ They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.’
But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.’
So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:1-9)
Reflect
As a result of sin, generally, and Babel, specifically, nations are inevitable. God, in a sense, institutionalized nationhood in the world when He confused the languages of man and scattered them across the earth.
And we quickly discover, as we keep reading, that nations are also broken and temporary, just like the men and women who comprise them. Not even God’s chosen nation, Israel, could live up to His standards. Yet, God is sovereign even over the failure of nations and their leaders. Over and over in the Old Testament, God raises up leaders and then dethrones them according to His righteous judgments. From our perspective it can feel like chaos but, from God’s perspective, it is one step in a controlled, redemptive plan.
We sometimes allow ourselves to be worked up into distress as we think about our world, our nation, and the foreign and domestic leaders who make critical decisions each day that affect our lives here on earth. Sometimes, we forget that God is sovereign over all of it, that He has a plan, and that He is good and just. When we consider these truths, we are able to live faithful lives despite uncertainty.
Respond
How can you actively trust God with the uncertainty of our nation and world today as you live faithfully with the calling He’s given you? Take a moment to pray for our nation and other nations of the world that come to mind.
V. Prayer for others:
Pray specifically for the concerns of your life and the lives of others.
VI. Prayer of commitment:
“Lord God, I commit to love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself. Empower me today to love you and others with everything that I am.” (Luke 10:27)
This Month’s Scripture Memory:
Philippians 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.