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 3
Reflect:
Proverbs 3:13-14
13 Blessed are those who find wisdom,
those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
Blessed—happy—is the one who finds wisdom. Happiness is a feeling of pleasure and contentment. We’d describe a happy person as one who is cheerful, satisfied, and radiant. But according to this poem, what causes such happiness? Finding wisdom and acquiring understanding do, both of which can only come to those who learn to fear the Lord. It is true! Those who find wisdom are happy. I’ve walked with the Lord long enough to know this to be true. I’ve seen God’s Word proven correct, either by those who walk in its ways or by those who reject it; both have proven His Word correct!
Godly wisdom is priceless! Any and everything that the prevailing culture tells us to value pales in comparison to the value of wisdom. Yet wisdom’s riches far exceed those of monetary value. Sadly, many people fail to heed wisdom’s call. They pursue money, prestige, power, and fame, looking to these for happiness only to find they are all fleeting. In the end, it’s all a big lie. It’s a trap leaving us longing for more. The more we pursue happiness through these things, the more we realize how empty it is. Rather than bringing happiness, these pursuits leave us with a gaping hole in our hearts.
So, what are we to do? Don’t look towards these trappings but instead pursue God’s wisdom – the wisdom found in a relationship with Jesus. Only God’s wisdom gives enduring riches, inner peace, and eternal life.
Here’s the truth: happy is the one who finds wisdom! Have you found it? Are you looking to the prevailing culture around yourself to define what happiness is? Or have you looked to the Giver of Life?
Respond:
Jesus fulfilled wisdom’s promise. Will you trust Him today? Will you walk in His ways?
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 10:9
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.