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 6
Reflect:
Proverbs 6:20-22
20 My son, keep your father’s command
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them always on your heart;
fasten them around your neck.
22 When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.
The parent’s commands, like the Lord’s, is a light and a lamp to the son’s feet. Their instruction is intended to guide the son’s conduct. So vitally important were these commands that the son is told to tie them to his heart and fasten them around his neck.
To bind and fasten these commands to the body wasn’t to be taken literally, as some did during Jesus’ day. They would tie a little leather box around the left hand and another around the neck and place a small piece of scripture inside the box. Yet, all their efforts missed the mark. The Lord wasn’t interested in rituals and symbolism; He was interested in changed hearts!
To “bind” and “fasten” the commands around the heart was a metaphor to drive home how important it would be for the son to hang on to the commands. It wasn’t enough to just recite them or casually listen to them; he was to internalize them, metabolize them, get them down deep within, all the way down to his very fingertips. The commands were meant to guide him in all areas of his life; they were meant to keep him on the path of wisdom.
Respond:
The same is true for God’s Word. His Word offers us guidance, protection, and instruction. It’s true! “Every Scripture has been written by the Holy Spirit, the breath of God. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. (2 Timothy 3:16 TPT). The choice is yours. Will you go your own way, or will you bind and fasten yourself to God’s Word?
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 16:2
All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord.