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 1
Reflect:
Proverbs 1:20-22
20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
Reflection: Wisdom, no longer this abstract thought, vividly comes alive in the personification of a woman! She is a bold woman who is not afraid to loudly proclaim truth wherever she has the opportunity. She will make her voice heard. She’s calling out to anyone who will listen to her. She’s not pictured here as making some behind-the-scenes whisper to come and listen to her, instead, she is boldly calling the simple, mockers, and fools to turn and listen, to embrace what she has to say. Yet, it’s as though they could care less about what wisdom has to say to them.
In my mind, I have a picture of this busy, bustling city. People hurriedly moving from one point to another, some are on their phones, oblivious to what is going on around them. Others are quite aware of their surroundings but do not take the time to slow down – they cannot be bothered by some crazy woman! So, they plug their ears with their fingers and quickly pass by without a glance. How sad this is to me. Wisdom is making herself known if only people would stop and listen.
Inquiring of wisdom is not hard to do; through a right relationship with God it is easily accessed. But the fool despises wisdom; they refuse to have a relationship with God!
So let me ask you a question. Do you hear Lady Wisdom calling out to you today? Or are you choosing to keep walking past wisdom, too busy to take the time to listen? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Respond: Listen for God to speak to you today; do not reject God’s offer of wisdom to you.
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:
Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?