Welcome to Week 29 of A 2020 Prayer Life!
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
July 15
As we noted last week, and all through this year, so many of the titles for God in Scripture are relational terms. That is to say, as soon as we call God by this title, a counterpart title is applied to us. If we call Him "Shepherd," we call ourselves "sheep." If we call Him "our Father," we identify ourselves as "His children."
"King" is another relational term. If you call Him "King," then what do you call yourself?
There are several options. Think of the differences between them, and select which one seems most appropriate for you.
Then, in your prayer time, talk with the Lord about that title and the implied relationship. Use that title in the blanks below.
If You are my King and I am Your ____________, what do I learn about myself?
In what ways does my life show that You are my King and I am Your ____________?
In what ways does it not?
"King" is another relational term. If you call Him "King," then what do you call yourself?
There are several options. Think of the differences between them, and select which one seems most appropriate for you.
Then, in your prayer time, talk with the Lord about that title and the implied relationship. Use that title in the blanks below.
If You are my King and I am Your ____________, what do I learn about myself?
In what ways does my life show that You are my King and I am Your ____________?
In what ways does it not?
July 16
Last week, you considered what might be the differences between a good king and a bad one. You also generated a list of attributes that might characterize a good maker.
Yesterday, you identified your own counterpart title for "king." If God is "King," then what are you?
Now, using that counterpart title, go through the same exercise as you did last week. Insert your title in the blank, and then spend several minutes making a list of the differences between a good _____ and a bad _____. Then list the attributes of a good _____.
Once you have given those lists the time and thought that they deserve, have them before you in prayer, and tell the Lord what you have learned about yourself. Confess what you need to confess. Call Him "King" in prayer, call yourself by your counterpart title, and talk to Him about your becoming a good one.
Yesterday, you identified your own counterpart title for "king." If God is "King," then what are you?
Now, using that counterpart title, go through the same exercise as you did last week. Insert your title in the blank, and then spend several minutes making a list of the differences between a good _____ and a bad _____. Then list the attributes of a good _____.
Once you have given those lists the time and thought that they deserve, have them before you in prayer, and tell the Lord what you have learned about yourself. Confess what you need to confess. Call Him "King" in prayer, call yourself by your counterpart title, and talk to Him about your becoming a good one.
July 17
Back in Week 14, when we were meditating on God as Judge, we considered this passage from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah: "For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us." (Isaiah 33:22 NASB)
Make this verse the basis for your prayer time just now. Talk to the Lord about the relationship between these several roles that are combined together.
Lord, what is the significance that You are both King and Lawgiver?
What are the implications of Your being both King and Judge?
What does it mean for us that You are both our King and the One who saves us?
Make this verse the basis for your prayer time just now. Talk to the Lord about the relationship between these several roles that are combined together.
Lord, what is the significance that You are both King and Lawgiver?
What are the implications of Your being both King and Judge?
What does it mean for us that You are both our King and the One who saves us?
July 18
"O Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth; the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; and His hands formed the dry land." (Psalm 95:1-5 NASB)
Once again, the Psalmist casts the affirmation that the Lord is King in the midst of an expression of exuberant praise. And we observe that, for the Psalmist, praise is not merely a feeling -- it is a function of reason.
What are his reasons for praising God?
How is each reason related to the truth that the Lord is King?
Are the reasons that the Psalmist praised God also reasons for you to praise Him?
Let the Psalmist's praise guide your prayer time today.
Once again, the Psalmist casts the affirmation that the Lord is King in the midst of an expression of exuberant praise. And we observe that, for the Psalmist, praise is not merely a feeling -- it is a function of reason.
What are his reasons for praising God?
How is each reason related to the truth that the Lord is King?
Are the reasons that the Psalmist praised God also reasons for you to praise Him?
Let the Psalmist's praise guide your prayer time today.
July 19
"O Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth; the peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; and His hands formed the dry land." (Psalm 95:1-5 NASB)
Earlier, we have seen the Psalmist affirm that the Lord is King over all the earth. Here, the Psalmist affirms that He is "King above all gods."
Talk to the Lord about the significance of that statement.
What did it mean for the Psalmist to say that about You in His time and place?
What is the underlying truth of that statement in all times and places?
What does it mean for me -- in my life and in my world -- to say that You are King above all gods?
Earlier, we have seen the Psalmist affirm that the Lord is King over all the earth. Here, the Psalmist affirms that He is "King above all gods."
Talk to the Lord about the significance of that statement.
What did it mean for the Psalmist to say that about You in His time and place?
What is the underlying truth of that statement in all times and places?
What does it mean for me -- in my life and in my world -- to say that You are King above all gods?
July 20
As we come near the end of Week 29, we want to meditate on a verse from Maltbie Babcock's cherished hymn:
"This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!"
Meditate on Babcock's verse in your prayer time.
Tell the Lord what in the past has made you think "the wrong seems oft so strong."
Tell Him what is the present has made you think "the wrong seems oft so strong."
Ask Him to show you when you have forgotten that "God is the ruler yet."
"This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!"
Meditate on Babcock's verse in your prayer time.
Tell the Lord what in the past has made you think "the wrong seems oft so strong."
Tell Him what is the present has made you think "the wrong seems oft so strong."
Ask Him to show you when you have forgotten that "God is the ruler yet."
July 21
We continue today to meditate on that verse from Maltbie Babcock:
"This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!"
Meditate on Babcock's verse in your prayer time.
Ask Him about the importance of the affirmations that "the Lord is King" and "God reigns."
What does it mean to declare that You are King?
What does it mean that You reign?
How is Your Kingship the antidote to my sad heart?
Why should Your reign make the earth glad?
"This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong,
God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world:
why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!
God reigns; let the earth be glad!"
Meditate on Babcock's verse in your prayer time.
Ask Him about the importance of the affirmations that "the Lord is King" and "God reigns."
What does it mean to declare that You are King?
What does it mean that You reign?
How is Your Kingship the antidote to my sad heart?
Why should Your reign make the earth glad?