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 26
Reflect:
Proverbs 26:3
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools!
When I was in high school, corporal punishment was not an issue! So, when I got caught skipping school, I had to go see the assistant principal. The cost of my truancy was two licks from his paddle. He had me remove my wallet from my back pocket, bend over, grab my ankles…smack!…followed within a couple of seconds by another…smack! Did it hurt? Oh yeah, it was like fire! That day I learned what it was to have a “rod for the back of a fool.”
A horse and a donkey don’t respond to logical pleas and wisdom; the only way to get them to move is with a whip, and once they are moving, you’ll need a harness to direct them. The proverb is clear: the fool is like the horse and the donkey; they only pay attention to force.
Respond:
Don’t be like the fool who needs to be prodded to do the right thing. Determine today to walk the path of wisdom. Turn your ear to Christ today, for He is “the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)
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 16:9
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.