What's the Difference?
Over the next couple of months we're going to be experimenting with some changes to the prayer guide. For this sermon series "What's the Difference?" we're going to try connecting the prayer guide to the Sunday messages. If you didn't get a chance to participate in the service, you can view all of our messages on our website.
Opening Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that this day I may live in your presence and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Scripture
'Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may nor happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.'
- Matthew 6:33-34 (The Message)
Devotional Thought on Patience
"God walks 'slowly' because he is love. Otherwise, he would have gone faster. Love has a speed. It's an inner speed. It's a spiritual speed. t is different from the speed of technology to which we are accustomed. It is 'slow'. Yet it is the speed of love, and it is the lord over all other speeds."
- Kosuke Koyama
We can't microwave spiritual formation. It is the slowest of all human growth. We are learning from Jesus, how to be like Jesus, by spending time with Jesus. We share our lives with God so that we can ask the Holy Spirit to give us His patience. Once we ask, we can begin to observe how often our impatience bubbles (explodes?) to the surface in our everyday lives. God meets us right where we are. These are the training moments where we can immediately give our impatience to the Lord, ask for his power and allow him to guide us in our responses. The next day, we begin again. Focus on today, because the phrase, 'One day at a time', was exactly what Jesus asks of us in Matthew 6:33-34 (see Scripture above).
This is the slow work that builds our character into Christlikeness.
Reflection Question
Sit In God's presence and ask Him to help you work through these questions:
- In what areas of your life do you need to slow down and change your pace?
- Where is God inviting you to demonstrate patient kindness toward others?
Prayers of Petition
God invites us to cast our cares on him because he cares for us. God is all-together good, already knows what we need, and is eager to give us good things. So we don’t need to pray out of anxiety or fear, but confident trust. Spend a few minutes making your requests known to God.
- For the church
- For others
- For myself
Closing Prayer
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.