Note: This prayer meditation is first and foremost designed to be listened to, so we encourage you to listen to the audio as you read along.
Hey Church on the Move family,
Welcome to our 12-day guided prayer podcast.
Take a moment to prepare yourself to pray over the next few minutes by putting away distractions, setting aside mental to-do lists, and finding a place where for the next 10 minutes or so you can give yourself entirely to the task of prayer.
See yourself placing any worries or situations outside of your control at the feet of Jesus.
Let’s begin by praying a simple prayer. If you find your mind wandering or it’s difficult to focus simply return to prayer by repeating this phrase. Take a deep breath, rest your thoughts on God and pray:
Your faithful love endures forever.
Our prayers over the 12 days are based on reflections from the life and teachings of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.
Jesus is sitting on a hillside in Galilee teaching a massive crowd of people from all walks of life. Let’s listen to His words recorded in Matthew 5:13-16 now.
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
You are the salt of the earth?
You are the light of the world?
This feels too weighty for average people to carry, this whole being salt and being light thing. But let’s remember that it’s the proximity, the closeness of Jesus, that makes the difference here. A new way of life is possible for those who live under the rule of a good King.
They become salt. They become light. Followers of Jesus are salt and light because of the One they follow, going where He goes, doing what He does, living how He lives.
This is how Eugene Peterson translates Matthew 5:13 in The Message. “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”
Are you wondering how God wants to use your everyday, ordinary life to bring out the God-flavors of this earth, to share the life that Jesus offers with those around you in ways that make people take notice?
Let’s take some time to pray about that.
Ask the Lord to show you where He’s called you to share your life with people so that they too can “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Remember he’s talking to A LOT of people here. One grain of salt won’t make a lot of difference, but think about what millions of grains can do.
Enough salt in one environment can change a whole ecosystem! Now consider a CITY on a hill. I always get excited when I can see the lights of a city on the horizon of the night sky when I’m in the final stretch of a long road trip.
Think about it. There is something about the way that Jesus followers live together that testifies to the goodness of God and invites other people in, showing them the way home. This is a light that cannot be hidden. When a group of people decide to follow Jesus together it’s obvious.
Take a few moments to pray about how God is calling you to live not just an individual life of holiness but to live life with other people characterized by love, generosity, service, and sacrifice.
As we’ve been reflecting on what it means to be salt and light maybe there are some situations that have come to mind that you feel specifically led to pray for.
Prayer reveals things that would otherwise be hidden and James 5:16 says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful. Do you believe that your prayers are powerful? Maybe it’s a relationship that needs repair or a friend that needs healing. Take some time to pray about the things that God is putting on your heart today.
Jesus, you said that we are salt and light. How prone we are to forget that we represent you to a world in desperate need of hope. Would you help us to remember that today? Would you help us to walk in the way that you would walk, say the things that you would say? We can’t do this on our own. We can’t simply know the right thing to do and do it. We have to receive strength and life and power from your Spirit. Holy Spirit, fill us today as we yield to and obey your voice.
Amen.
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