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Day 2 - Praying Scripture (to the Light of the world)

To desire revival... and at the same time to neglect (personal) prayer and devotion is to wish one way and walk another. 

— A.W. Tozer

When I was in Ukraine during the 1990’s, I often visited the Orthodox churches in our city.  Holidays, weddings and regular Sunday morning worship looked very different from our western evangelical church services. I have one visual memory in particular of rows and rows of little burning candles. In the Orthodox church, when a person wanted to pray for someone or some situation, they would go to the church, buy a little yellow thin candle, and light it as part of their prayer.  Now just to be clear, lighting a candle isn't necessary for us to commune with God, but the flame on a candle is a beautiful symbol of how God illuminates our path through prayer and how His presence warms us and brightens our day.  Sometimes I enjoy the ambience of a candle burning during my prayer time, just to remember that our prayers are like incense on the altar (Revelation 5:8).  


With that fire in our hearts, let’s bring our prayers to the Lord today:


Worship the God who hears our prayers, the Light of the World

God, you are the Light of the World.  Bring light to the dark places in this world, illuminating the darkness, making truth shine and giving hope for our future in You.  


John 8:12

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Appropriate the truth of scripture as you grow in your walk of faith

Lord, I pray that your light will shine throughout the world. But especially, Lord, I ask that I would be a light for You, that I would reflect Your perfect light as I walk out my faith. Give me opportunities to share your good news with others.


Matthew 9:37-38

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”


Matthew 5:16

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.



Light - Walk in the light by openly confessing your sins and need for God


Lord, I know that You are with me wherever I go and that Your concern for me and love for me are beyond understanding - too wonderful for me!  And yet I know You see my failures, my mistakes and my need to keep coming to You for forgiveness - You are a light to all my dark places.  As I pray this psalm aloud, I ask You to show me where I have fallen short so I can freely receive Your grace.


Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence? 

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”

even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

Search me, God, and know my heart;

    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

    and lead me in the way everlasting.

Know Him more and more as you spend time with Him daily

Lord, fill me with knowledge to understand Your will, to make wise decisions, and live in a way that is worthy of You.


Colossians 1:9-14

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,  


so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: 

bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,


being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.


For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.


Father, we are so grateful You sent Jesus to be the light of the world and we are amazed that You would choose us to work alongside You in this mission. Show us how to live like citizens of the kingdom of light.


Prayers for others today:

S - Missions

M - Family

T - Church and Friends

W - Work

Th - Community

F - World affairs

Sat - Self


Blessings on your day,

Heather


P.S. If you just jumped into this blog post, you can read the first post explaining how to walk with God through your prayer life and the first day of praying through scripture here.
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