Glad to be with you on this good morning! It’s Thursday which means we’re in the midst of making it through this week of writing.
On Thursdays we put all our thoughts, reflections, and prayers together. Everything we’ve been working on gets reviewed. We listen and seek to discern a message taking shape in all we’ve done. Thursday is a creative and critical day.
As you remember we began a new series this week. It’s called “Prepare with Prayer”. Our Scripture for this first Sunday in the series is Psalms 118:19-24. Our focus verse for the message is verse 24, “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Our title for this message is “Save the Day”.
As I was reflecting on this Scripture here’s what came forward for me.
I have different kinds of days.
Some of my days are “Got To” days. These are days driven by what I’ve got to do. They are days with full schedules, high pressures, and heavy demands. These days are tiring and stressful days.
Other days are “Ground Hog” days. These are days where what happened yesterday, today and tomorrow all seems to run together. These are days that get long and dull.
And then I have “Get To” days. These are days inspired not by what I’ve “Got To” do, but what I “Get To” do. These are days lived with a sense of promise, potential and possibility. They are days where I am engaged and energized, alert and more fully alive. They are great days where I “Get To” experience God’s grace is some wonderful ways.
And the funny thing is “Got To” days, “Ground Hog” days, and “Get To” days are in many ways all the same day. In each of these days I have the same family, same friends, same sets of circumstances, same challenges … so much is the same.
And yet each of these days is distinctively, decisively different. What makes the difference between a “Got To” day, “Ground Hog” day, and “Get To” day is a decision you and I make to “Save the Day!”
We save the day by preparing for the day with prayer.
When you and I make the choice to prepare for the day with prayer this Scripture from Psalm 118:19-24 becomes a great guide.
It begins the day at the “Starting Gate”. “Open the gates of righteousness and I will enter through them.” (vs. 19). As you begin the day come to that place and space of prayer each morning. This is “Starting Gate” for you to enter into the presence of God.
As you move forward in prayer, take time to praise God. Verse 20 says, “I will praise You, for You have answered me and become my salvation.”
Once you have praised God and entered into God’s presence, then present your day to God. Dive into the details. List it all before the Lord. Then lift it all to the Lord. If you’re going to “Save the Day!” you’re going to have to give it to the Savior. Again from verse 20 – “You have … become my salvation”.
Once you have started in prayer, entered God’s presence and presented your day to God, then visualize what it means to build your day on Christ as your cornerstone. Jesus Christ is God’s love alive in your daily life. To build on Christ as your cornerstone is to review your schedule and picture what it would mean to love others with Jesus’ love in these daily moments. That love can take on lots of different looks. The more you practice picturing your day with Christ as cornerstone, the better you will become at it.
Finally as you finish preparing for your day with prayer, celebrate all God will be doing. Even as you have done your part, God will also be doing God’s part. God will be working because this is a day that the Lord is making, so we can rejoice and be glad in it.
How long does this prayer time take: Entering through the starting gate, Praising God for God’s presence, presenting your day, building your picture, and giving thanks for God’s work? I’d say with a little practice it can be done in 3-5 minutes. That’s the best investment of 3-5 minutes you’ll make all day. It will save your day! I’ll also tell you that after a while you won’t be asking, “How long will this prayer time take?” You’ll be asking, “Why can’t I take longer in this time of prayer?” Prayer time will become precious time to you.
A wise person said, we no longer have yesterday. It’s gone. Nor do we have tomorrow. It’s not here yet. What we do have is today. It’s a day worth saving. It’s a day worth preparing for with prayer.
These are the talking points for Sunday. As usual they will be expanded and enriched in the preaching of the message.
These are my thoughts. What are yours? What message comes forward for you from Psalm 118:19-24? What you hear is what God is speaking to you. It’s worth writing down in your notebook.
Now we let this message “percolate” for a couple of days. That always helps.
Then we prepare with prayer on Saturday for our worship time on Sunday. I look forward to being with you then!
Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the privilege of prayer. Thank you for how you work in the midst of prayer to save this day. Today is a day You would be making in your love. Today is a day where You would be growing us in your grace. By your Spirit call us always to prepare for today and every day with prayer. As we do, we will give You the glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.