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: 25:12
12 A wise correction to a receptive ear
is like a gold ring or an ornament of gold. (CSB)
The right word at the right time—which, by the way, can sometimes be a rebuke—is a thing of great beauty and high value. The right word without a listening ear to receive it is useless; there’s no benefit to anyone. No, the beauty found in this proverb is only achieved if the wise word is paired with a listening ear.
As Christ-followers, we should be skilled in both speaking words of wisdom and having a receptive ear. As we’ve worked through Proverbs these last eight months, one thing has become abundantly clear: words matter! What we say, what we listen to, what we allow to nest in our heads shapes us into who we are becoming. And if we’re going to be the kind of people God has called us to be, then we have to make sure the right kind of words are shaping us. It’s vital that we have friends—fellow believers—to speak truth into our lives, and we, in turn, should be willing to do the same for them. And as we give and receive encouragement and edification, the beauty of the Gospel will freely flow from our lives.
As we conform our lives more to the Gospel, we’ll become more skilled at speaking to God and to others. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul gives us some insight as to how we’re to grow in this. He says we are to pray that we would be alert and thankful, that we would be full of wisdom to make the most of the time we have, and that as we have the opportunity to speak we would always be gracious, having our speech seasoned with salt so that we’ll know how to best respond. Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if those around you would see you as a gracious speaker of truth?
Respond:
Ask God to give you eyes to see and ears to hear all that is going on around you today. And as He shows you, determine right now to speak graciously and live for His glory—be salt and light to those around you today.
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 19:21
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.