A Prayer of Relinquishment
by Richard Foster
Today, O Lord, I yield myself to you.
May your will be my delight today.
May your way have perfect sway in me.
May your love be the pattern of my living.
I surrender to you,
my hopes,
my dreams,
my ambitions.
Do with them what you will, when you will, as you will.
I place in your loving care
my family,
my friends,
my future.
Care for them with a care I cannot give.
I release into your hands
my need to control,
my craving for status,
my fear of obscurity.
Eradicate the evil, purify the good, and establish your kingdom on earth. For Jesus, sake,
Amen.
The Promise of Satisfaction
Satisfaction: (n.) fulfillment of one’s needs, longing or desires
Begin by thinking back over the last 30 days. What three words would you use to describe your Christian life during the past month? Share these with one another, along with a brief explanation of why you chose those words.
Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John goes on to tell us, “By this he meant the Spirit” (John 7:37-39). The Spirit is the source of the truly satisfying life, quenching our deepest thirsts and longings. Pray to be attuned to the Spirit in this time.
Read together :
● Psalm 84
● Psalm 34
Pray together :
The Lord’s Prayer - Matthew 6:9-13
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, holy is your name, (WORSHIP and THANKSGIVING)
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (KINGDOM VALUES and WORK - JUSTICE, PEACE, MERCY, RIGHTEOUSNESS, ETC) 11 Give us today our daily bread. (OUR NEEDS)
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (CONFESSION and FORGIVENESS)
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ (PROTECTION and SANCTIFICATION)
On your own:
PRAISE - Psalms 100, 138
REPENT - Psalm 51, personal confession
ASK- Intercession for friends,family,church,world leaders
YIELD- Listen for God and the things the Spirit is bringing to mind
Praying through the mission statement:
Becoming rooted together in Jesus : What areas of my life can I fully devote to Christ so that I can experience His freedom? Where am I turning to other sources rather than drawing deep from Jesus as the Source? How can the Spirit use me to help others grow deeper in Him?
and bringing abundant life in our community : How can I envision being a part of new life? What places in my community do I touch with the abundant life of Christ in me? In what ways can our church bring life for the sake of Christ’s Kingdom?