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 7
Reflect:
Proverbs 7:6-9
6 At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
In Proverbs 7, Solomon is warning his son by way of observation. He is cautioning him not to be naïve about an immoral woman. Solomon gives an eyewitness account of a tragic event. The young man Solomon watched wasn’t a fool, full of lust with a mischievous heart. He was simply naïve and lacked judgment as he thoughtlessly walked toward the immoral woman’s house. Unknowingly, he was walking right dab in the middle of trouble with a capital “T!” Before he even knew what was going on, he was fully engulfed. He was clueless! This reminds me of what Robert L. Alden wrote, “If you want to avoid the devil, stay away from his neighborhood. If you suspect you might be vulnerable to a particular sin, take steps to avoid it.” This young man failed to heed such a warning.
As a warning to His disciples, Jesus said something similar when He sent them out. “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16 NLT) Jesus didn’t want them to be naïve about the work they would be doing and the trouble they would encounter along the way. No, He wanted them to engage their minds and prepare their hearts to walk the path of wisdom. Jesus knew there would be people who were like wolves who would want nothing more than to destroy His disciples, so He wanted them to be wise. They were to be as shrewd as snakes and as gentle as doves. Snakes are shrewd because they recognize danger and flee from it. He cautioned them not to be mean-spirited or violent when answering those who wanted to cause them harm.
Respond:
We are not to be naive when it comes to sin and the temptations the enemy employs against us. Are there areas of your life where you just go on autopilot? Where you don’t give much thought to what you’re doing? If you’re like me, there are probably multiple things. Ask the Lord to bring them to mind, and take time to confess and repent. Ask Him to help you live “as shrewd as a snake and harmless as a dove.”
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 15:25
The Lord tears down the house of the proud, but he sets the widow’s boundary stones in place.