“The biggest reason for why God asks us to pray – a reason we can’t avoid – is this: Scripture insists that God has hard-wired the universe in such a way that He works primarily through prayer. God has set up creation so that the way He does His work is through the prayers of His children. At the moment we pray, we become subject to the most powerful force in the universe.”
David Jeremiah, The Prayer Matrix, p. 44.
Each day’s devotional will guide us through a prayer during the life of Jesus – either prayed by someone in His close circle of relationships, or more likely, directly from His own heart. During these 21 Days, our whole church will be reflecting and meditating on these same prayers together, with one mind, guided by and depending on one Spirit.
Each devotion will take less than ten minutes of your time.
- We will Engage the Word – looking at a time of prayer in the life of Jesus.
- We will Connect the Heart – considering a truth that is applicable to our lives.
- We will Reflect on the Truth, asking a number of questions each day that invite us to look and listen with intent.
- And we will Depend on the Spirit – We will pray, for it is in praying that we learn to pray. And it is in praying that the Spirit changes our hearts.
We want to encourage you to grab a journal or a notebook – something to write on as you walk through each prayer guide or devotional. Yes, it will add a few minutes to the time it takes to do the devotion, and it will also deepen your experience and shape your walk with God for years to come. This journal or notebook will be a keepsake to remind you of God’s faithfulness during this challenging season for all of us.
Engage the Word
Today’s devotional looks at the prayer of Simeon – a devout follower of God who had received a prophecy that he would one day meet the Messiah. We see in Luke 2 that this prophecy is fulfilled and Simeon does finally get to meet the Messiah when Joseph and Mary bring the newborn Christ child to the temple.
Luke 2:25-32
25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant[e] depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
Connect the Heart
Simeon had received a prophecy that he would see the Messiah before he saw death. This passage in Luke 2 reflects his prayer of praise upon seeing the newborn Christ. The prophecy now fulfilled, Simeon was ready to go when the Lord would call him home – and his words reflect his heart of worship and adoration toward God for all He is and all He does. Take a moment to turn your heart to God in worship and adoration for all He is and all He has done.
Reflect on the Truth
1. How is your heart – your words, your actions, your motivations – aligning with his?
2. There are some key words in Simeon’s prayer that you might reflect on: peace, word, salvation, presence, light, revelation, glory… Take a few minutes to reflect on one or two of these words, and how the Holy Spirit might be prompting you to be grateful for these gifts from God.
2. Simeon’s prayer reflects a heart of devotion that is a model for us. Turn your heart now to God in the same way.
Depend on the Spirit
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the deeper longings, desires or motives in your heart that those thoughts are pointing to. (For example: you may write down, “I want to see your salvation and your glory in the same way that is reflected in the heart of Simeon.”) The Lord can help us discern the path forward – through His word, His Spirit, His people.
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Read our post “Why Fast?” to learn about the spiritual discipline of fasting and gain a better understanding of why Jesus asked us to fast. We fast not to get something we want from God, but for God to change our wants. We fast because Jesus fasted, He expected we would fast, and we see that the early church fasted.
Read yesterday’s post HERE.
Catch up on all our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting posts on the blog HERE.
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