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 30
Reflect:
Proverbs 30:29-31
29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts,
who retreats before nothing;
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
and a king secure against revolt.
Agur is an unknown writer, and in Proverb 30 he ponders the world of nature. Here, Agur uses three impressive animals as comparisons to the noble appearance and regal bearing of a king. The lion, of course, has the reputation of being king of the beasts, dominant over the others. Roosters, too, have a natural strut that reminds one of the pomp of a king’s court. The he-goat at the head of a flock of goats puts on an aggressive front intended to show any rivals that he is in charge. A king surrounded by his army instinctively takes on a similar appearance, acting the part of the proud and noble monarch.
What’s his point in all of Agur’s pondering? Well, he is seeking lessons for life. But with all of his investigations, his final analysis is that God alone truly understands the universe and its meaning. It is humbling but comforting to recognize that he holds the secrets of life.
Respond:
Pray: “Father in heaven, give us an eternal perspective that leads us to value the things in life that really matter. May we live each day in the knowledge that you hold the key to the mysteries of life.”
(This devotion is comprised of excepts from Max Anders, Holman Old Testament Commentary – Proverbs: 13, pg. 351).
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 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.