Week 3 - The Prayer of a Leader

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

     1 O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.  2 Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.  3 The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead.  4 So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.

     5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.  6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

     7 Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails.  Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit.  8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.  9 Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in you.

     10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.  11 For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.  12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant.

Psalm 143

What does this passage have to say about leadership?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) This psalm is the prayer of David, who is king of Israel and “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14); this is the prayer of a leader.  In verses 2 and 12, what word does David use to describe himself?  What truth about leadership does David model?

2) For what is David asking, in verses 1-2?  Why is the king is Israel — the most powerful man in the nation — begging for mercy (v. 2b, 7b)?  How can this be an example to anyone who seeks to lead? 

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

3) Twice in this passage (v. 1, 11), David calls upon God’s righteousness, when seeking deliverance from his enemies.  What is righteousness?  In what must David be confident, if he is assuming that God’s righteousness will provide salvation from his enemies?

4) Are you, as an athlete, setting an example that others should follow?  Can others be confident in following you?  What is the basis for your own confidence, and would you be able to call on God’s righteousness for help?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

5) David asks God for guidance.  “Show me the way to go,” he asks (v. 8).  And again, in verse 10: “Teach me to do your will.”  What is it obvious that David has done, in order to know God better (v. 5)?  What could you do to “meditate” upon God and learn His desires?  Would this make you a better leader?

6) Is your relationship with God such that you could say to Him, “My soul thirsts for you” (v. 4)?  Can you confidently say to God, “I have put my trust in you” (v. 8)?  Do your teammates recognize you as someone who thirsts for God and trusts Him regularly?  If not, will they be confident following you?

7) Teams that pray together know one another better.  In order for your teammates to trust your leadership, they need to know who you are following.  Make a habit of praying with your teammates.

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of leadership, and pray together.

· Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about leadership this week, and to repeat some of those things.  (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about leadership you’ve discussed, if necessary.)

· Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about leadership this week...What does a leader athlete do?”  Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of leadership, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.

· Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “leader athlete”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.

· Pray together as a team.  Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of leadership — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week.  Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable.  Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding leadership or anything else), and pray together.