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: Proverbs Chapter 11
Reflect:
Proverbs 11:2
2 When arrogance comes, disgrace follows,
but with humility comes wisdom.
Have you ever seen someone who’s boastful in a way that makes you think, “ugh, that’s not right”? I know that is a crazy question to ask, of course, you have! There is something repulsive about it. Arrogance is that audacious or prideful behavior to which one does not have a right. It’s that attitude that says, “I have done this great thing today, and I will do greater things tomorrow!”
The core of pride is self-centeredness. It’s putting one’s self at the center of the universe, making everything else revolve around them. People –believer or nonbeliever –cringe when they see such attitudes because instinctively they know it’s just not right. When someone adopts an attitude of pride, they are dooming themselves to a life characterized by jealousy, envy, and greed. In the end, this will leave them disgraced.
The antidote to pride is HUMILITY: The personal quality of being free from arrogance and pride. It means we have an accurate estimate of our worth. It’s giving up arrogance and self-sufficiency. But wait, there’s a catch. It takes a choice on our part! Just as we can choose to put ourselves at the center of the universe and walk in pride’s ways, we can also choose to reject pride and walk in the ways of humility. The walk starts with repentance, it’s key to walking in humility. Choose today to put Christ at the center of the universe instead of yourself.
Respond:
Start by asking God to open your eyes to forms of pride in your life. Max Anders challenges us to calculate the price of pride. See it for what it is with all of its self-destructive nature, and then determine, with God’s help, to give them up.
You might even want to pray the following prayer: Father, help me to see myself as you see me: worth no less than any other human ever born but worth no more. When I see myself as you see me, I will have the security not to need pride. Deliver me from that sin so I may rest in my position in Christ and from there be used to help others. Amen. (Anders)
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 Week’s Scripture Memory:
Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God is flawless;
He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.