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 17
Reflect:
Proverbs 17:24
24 Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom,
but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. (NLT)
I love how the NLT uses the idiom “eyes glued” to drive home the importance of staying focused on wisdom. When you read the phrase, you get the meaning immediately: it means to watch or give something your full attention. I once was using some super glue and my fingers ended up completely stuck together! That’s the idea the teacher wants the student to grasp. He wants him to understand that a sensible person is one whose eyes are glued on wisdom. In other words, his attention is stuck on wisdom.
I like the word sensible too! It’s describing someone who possesses or displays prudence. Prudence didn’t just miraculously show up one day, it was gained through their disciplined and focused attention. Their lives were headed in a settled direction, and they were living decided, not deciding. Their decision to keep their eyes glued to wisdom is what keeps them from being distracted.
The fool, on the other hand, allows their eyes to wander from place to place, never really settling on a fixed point of reference. It’s kind of a scary place to be. There is no anchor or foundation, but they’re just tossed about. And in the end, all their wandering results in folly.
The sensible person has the right starting point, and they stick to it. “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7 NLT)
If you want to be wise, then ask God, and He will give you wisdom generously and without hesitation. But when you do ask, you can’t be filled with doubt; believe that God will give wisdom to you. When you doubt, it’s like being alone in the ocean tossed about by the waves of the sea; this is what the fool does. If you act like a fool, then don’t expect to get anything. (See James 1:5-8)
Respond:
If you are feeling somewhat tossed about, talk to God and settle whatever the issue is. Determine to live your life for the glory of God. Make His glory the settled direction of your life—then get busy living decided.
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 20:22
Do not say, “I’ll pay you back for this wrong!” Wait for the Lord, and he will avenge you.