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 21
Reflect:
Proverb 21:1
“A king’s heart is like channeled water in the LORD’s hand:
He directs it wherever he chooses.”
What a beautiful picture of God’s sovereignty and a timely word for us to remember in our day, given our current political state. We are so polarized right now, I sense that it has led some to forget that there is a King—the King of kings—who reigns supreme, not just over the affairs of men, but over all of His creation! All throughout the scriptures, we see God’s hand directing the affairs of men. King Cyrus and Nebuchadnezzar are just two of countless other rulers God used to carry out His purposes.
We must always remember that history is not a bunch of dates or events in faraway places that have no purpose. History is the unveiling of God’s redemptive history—the way He is working in and around His people to accomplish His purposes. He’s still at work, guiding and directing all things toward their culmination in Jesus Christ! It’s not cyclical, but rather directional, it’s always moving forward. Today He is working to move all people—every tribe, tongue, and nation—to a place where one day they will all be gathered together and worshiping Christ. (Rev. 7) We can never forget that history is moving in a specific direction—and God is the one directing it!
Yes, God is in control! I think that’s what the writer means by “channeled waters.” Like a farmer who furrows out trenches between the rows of his crop, directing life-giving water to nourish the roots beneath the ground. Think about that for a moment—the water is not raging, rushing over the field, washing away the topsoil. No. It’s a controlled, steady flow. The water is directed right where it needs to, right when it needs to there.
The proverb is meant to comfort, encourage, and strengthen us—not to undo us. We can rest assured that He—God—is in control. The Lord is truly the King of kings!
Respond:
It’s easy to look around at the seemingly chaotic state of our political situation, but don’t be undone by it. Let the reality of God’s sovereignty strengthen and encourage you today. He is involved, He is in full control, He’s at work!
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 27:17
As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.