Today is the 27th installment of 30 days of resources for your family to use to grow together. Each of our daily activities will have the following pieces:
- PLAY TOGETHER: An opportunity to have fun and do something together instead of watching Netflix.
- TALK TOGETHER: Around the dinner table or just two of you sitting on the back porch, take turns asking these questions to learn more about the other.
- ORIENT TOGETHER: In time of need we have an opportunity to renew our vision for Jesus, and pray for His work in our life and world.
We hope these resources are helpful to you as a family. Feel free to share with others as well!
Sing Songs – Everyone go around and say what your favorite song is, then sing it! Whatever the genre is! Throw in some dance moves to make it more interesting.
- What is one thing you are praying that you want God to answer?
- What is the most difficult thing about prayer?
- How would you define prayer?
Read Psalm 16
If you are like me, praying is difficult at best and ignored at worst. Many things could be said about prayer, and plenty of books and articles have been written about it. Instead of offering more ideas about prayer, I would like to help you use Psalm 16 to pray to the Lord. I am going to use the ACTS method, which stands for Adore, Confess, Thank, and Supplicate. The Psalms can teach something about the Lord for which we can Adore Him, reveal to us sins that we can Confess to Him, describe something the Lord has done for which we can give Him Thanks, and, finally, show us areas where we can make requests (Supplicate) to God. With these four parts, I will walk you through a simple way to pray Psalm 16 back to God.
*Note* The following prayers are from my own time spent meditating on this text. Use this as a guide for your own time!
ADORE v. 11
Father, I adore You because there is fullness of joy in Your presence. Oh, how good and rich it is to know that as I approach You, I find a Father who loves to give joy. I find a Father who has life in His hands. You are a God who loves to give and who loves to offer eternal pleasures. What have I done to earn this gift? You are worthy of all my affection. What I long for has always been found in You.
CONFESS v. 4a
It is strange to me that although I know there is lasting joy in Your presence, I often turn my heart towards other things to find satisfaction. You warn me in Your word that sorrows will multiply for me when I run after other gods. I confess that I run after many things other than You. I believe that they will grant me what I want, but I end up empty handed. Forgive me for my unbelief, for not believing Your promises, and for not giving my whole heart to You.
THANK v. 10
Wow, what a promise! You will not abandon my soul to the depths of Sheol! What a kindness You have given me. You have set my soul free and have given me life. But how can I know this freedom to be true? Oh, Heart, look to the God-man Jesus who suffered in my place. Look to Jesus who lived a life for me that I could never live on my own. Look to Jesus who burst from the grave and declared His authority over sin and death for me! How good and wonderful this news is to me. Thank You, Father, for loving me and pursuing me even though I deserve to be abandoned.
SUPPLICATE (Reflect on the passage and find one or two things to request from God)
Father, help me see Your goodness. Help me to believe You are enough for me. Break the chains and bonds that shackle my heart to this earth. Protect my heart from looking outward for satisfaction rather than upward to You. Help me see that they are nothing compared to You. I want to love You for You. I want to see You for who You really are. Help me delight in You above everything else.
Amen.
I hope this framework is helpful for when you pray. And, I hope it’s also something you use as you read the Bible.
Today’s Family Resource for Growing Together is written by Adam Davenport, a speaker and business consultant in Raleigh, NC.
MODGNIK 