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 25
Reflect:
Proverbs 25:19
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
Before you move on from this proverb, you have to capture the picture being painting for us: a broken tooth and a lame foot. I must say, I can relate to the analogy given in the picture. I’ve had the not-so-pleasant experience of having both.
I’m currently recovering from a knee injury I encountered while running, it’s sidelined me from running for the moment. Walking is fine, it’s when I go up a flight of stairs, that’s when I feel the pain. It’s like someone is sticking an ice pick in my knee! The pain was debilitating. Just the thought of going upstairs would cause me to wince. Then there’s the broken tooth. I once broke a tooth in half eating popcorn kernels exposing the root of the tooth. Oh, the pain was terrible! Any and everything I did caused excruciating pain to shoot up through the roof of my mouth. Oh my, you don’t realize how much you take for granted your teeth or your knees until you can’t use them. And that’s the point here with this proverb.
The pain experienced in these two injuries is what it’s like to rely on an unfaithful person. Depending on a person who turns out to be unfaithful can be painful and ineffective. These are not the kinds of buddies you need to have around you. You need to have faithful friends! Someone who will stick close, listen, care, and offer help when it is needed—in good times and bad. It is better to have one such friend than dozens of superficial acquaintances.
But here’s something you should know, having a group of faithful friends doesn’t just happen, it requires action. You have to do the things that build strong and healthy relationships. If you don’t have these kinds of friendships, then an excellent place to start is by checking out a Small Group here at River. Find a small group you connect with and then take a risk and show up consistently, plug-in regularly, and be honest about where you’re at. It may seem like a tall order if you’ve not done it before, but I’ve found that as people do these simple things, lifelong friendships are developed—the kinds of friendships that are made for times of trouble.
Respond:
If you’re not plugged into a small group, would you just stop right now, and ask God to reveal what it is that is keeping you from plugging in. Whatever it is, let go of it and give it to the Lord. Remember that this walk on wisdom’s path is communal—we need others in our lives! Ask God to help you get plugged in, ask Him to give you a faithful friend, and then take on the challenge of being a true friend yourself. Together, let’s commit to being people of character!
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 4:7-9
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.”