Welcome, and thank you for joining us in this time of prayer together. This month, our theme is “Rooted”. As we begin our time in prayer, I invite you to take a few deep breaths to calm yourself and prepare your mind to focus.

Our scripture reading today is Psalm 1:1-3:

“How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked,

or stand in the pathway with sinners,

or sit in the assembly of scoffers.

Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands;

he meditates on his commands day and night.

He is like a tree planted by flowing streams;

it yields its fruit at the proper time,

and its leaves never fall off.

He succeeds in everything he attempts.” (NET)

These verses talk about where, as Christ followers, our focus should be and about what kind of influences we allow in our life. If we obey the Lord’s commands and will for our life, we will be like a tree that has been planted by a healthy stream of water, causing that tree to be firmly rooted and not easily knocked around or down. Because of this firmness and stability, the tree is then able to produce healthy fruit and function successfully as the tree it is meant to be. On the flip side, if we allow ourselves to be influenced by people or things that go against the Lord’s commands, we will be the opposite of a healthy tree–we will be unable to produce healthy fruit and unable to operate successfully as the person we were created to be.

Who/what in your life influences you enough to impact your decisions and opinions? Do they encourage you toward obedience to God?

(pause)

Do you spend regular and intentional times with God and in His word? How do these times influence your decisions and opinions?

(pause)

Because the tree in this passage is planted by a water source it has a continual source of life which generates stability in the tree. There’s no disconnect from the life source so the leaves of the tree never dry out and fall off. The tree is successfully operating as a tree–producing healthy fruit, shelter and beauty for others.

What does it look like in your life to have leaves that never fall, to have stability from a continual source of life?

(pause)

Part 3: Closing Prayer

We will close with an ancient prayer for God’s peace and protection as we entrust ourselves into His care:

O God,
from whom all holy desires, all good counsels,
and all just works do proceed:
give to your servants that peace
which the world cannot give;
that our hearts may be set to obey your will;
and that we, being defended from the fear of our enemies,
may pass our time in rest and quietness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.