August 31, 2007
“In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright;
I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”
Dear Lord, this is one of those “God mornings.” From the positive effects of yesterday, into the evening and night, then the hustle of the morning, and hearing “This is the Air I Breathe” on the way to work, I am filled with Your spirit and love. If ever I loved You, right now is that moment! I know, though, that as high as I feel now, I will feel lower at some point, and I want to love You just as much then. Lord, I pray for the courage and faith to love You always, every moment, no matter what my situation is. Thank You for my many good times, and thank You also for the trials in my life, for they give me an even greater appreciation and love for You. Amen.
August 30, 2007
“Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands, robed in the blooming garb of spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, Who makes the woeful heart to sing.”
Dear Lord, when I look around me – I mean, really take the time to look around me and appreciate all that You have created – I truly am in awe. It is an amazing and humbling thought to realize that the same God who gave me life created everything in nature. The flowers and trees, animals and birds … yet You still care enough about me, and have faith in me, that You gave me life. Again I will ask: How can I not be grateful, and how can I not devote my life to You? Lord, thank You for every one of my countless blessings. Let me always respect and rejoice in Your creation, let me never take any of it for granted, and let me always sing praises to Your most holy name. Amen.
August 29, 2007
“Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion, for more than conquerors we are!”
Dear Lord, it is easy for me to hear that You died for my sins and have forgiven them, but it is much more difficult to truly accept, believe, and understand that. That is the basis for Christian faith, and I do believe it, and I certainly have more appreciation now than even a few years ago, but there are days when I feel so overwhelmed by past wrongs, I feel as though no one or nothing can set me right. On those days, Lord, I pray that instead of falling into darkness, I will turn to You for comfort and strength. I pray that I will look for the light to the Savior, look full into Your face, and truly know that I am Your child. Heavenly Father, thank You for my trials, for my sins, and for Your gracious forgiveness and abiding love. Amen.
August 28, 2007
“I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby; temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh.
I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will; and Thy rich promises in me fulfill.”
Dear Lord, this hymn is both a plea and an acceptance of peace and comfort, which is what I feel when I truly put myself in Your hands. By keeping You close, I am no longer tempted; by learning Your word, I hear Your call to me and Your plans for me. Would that I would listen that closely every hour of the day. Heavenly Father, I pray for the courage to always be listening for Your voice, and when I do hear it, to respond as You would have me respond. Let me be a beacon and a vessel for Your words so that others will share in the joy and love that comes from a life in You. Let me always keep You nearby. Amen.
August 27, 2007
“Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading, pleading for you and for me?
Why should we linger and heed not His mercies, mercies for you and for me?”
Dear Lord, this makes it so very simple: You want me, and are offering me blessings, forgiveness, grace, and a life with You in Your heavenly kingdom. Why do I say no? Why do I turn away? It is my own arrogance and selfishness that keeps me from fully accepting You. I can say the right words and appear to do the right things, but I know I fall short of what You want and need me to do. Lord, I pray for the courage and strength to follow You, to worship You, to praise You, and to let You lead me where You need me to go. Let me listen for Your voice instead of the noise around me. Amen.
August 24, 2007
“Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations! Son of God and Son of Man!
Glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forever more be Thine.”
Dear Lord, it is humbling to remember and realize that You truly are Lord over all. You guide not just my life, but the lives of everyone, and You know all of us intimately – better than we know ourselves. If I look past all the gifts and blessings You have given me, and look only at the life You blessed me with, that would be more than enough for my thanks and praise. Thanks to Your loving spirit, You have given me so much more – family and friends around me, health and happiness, and experiences that continue to teach me. Heavenly Father, You are my Lord and Savior, and I give You all thanks, honor, and praise. For all these and so much more, I humbly thank You. Amen.
From cnn.com:
Texas, which leads the nation in carrying out the death penalty, has executed the 400th person since the state resumed capital punishment in 1982. Johnny Ray Conner, 32, who was convicted in the shooting death of a convenience store owner in Houston in 1998, was on Wednesday the 21st man put to death by lethal injection in Texas this year.
“It’s a pretty sad day for the progression — or lack thereof — for human rights in this state,” said Rick Halperin, president of the non-profit Texas Coalition To Abolish the Death Penalty. He called the state-ordered executions “barbaric and outdated.”
What a selfish, rude, ridiculous, arrogant statement. Mr. Halperin, you should be ashamed. What about the human rights of the man Mr. Conner killed? What about the rights of Mr. Conner’s family? What about the laws in Texas and the United States? Do any of those matter? Apparently not. Let’s just let convicted killers run free, right? Better yet, let’s do away with trials altogether – all killers can camp out with Mr. Halperin!
I have no doubt that Mr. Halperin leans to the left politically. That’s another reason why liberals – for the most part – suck.
The death penalty, if used more frequently – would be a deterrent. I think we should start televising executions. That would get people thinking! Also, people convicted of murder should be executed the same way their victims died – in this case, someone would shoot Mr. Conner a few times in the head, the same way he gunned down that innocent clerk.
‘Barbaric and outdated’? No, Mr. Halperin – what your late friend Mr. Conner did is barbaric. And now he is outdated.
August 23, 2007
“Don’t think me poor or deserted or lonely – I’m not discouraged, because I’m heaven bound.
I’m just a pilgrim in search of the city – I want a mansion, a robe and a crown.”
Dear Lord, there are days when I feel like I am, or can be, the best disciple You ever knew. There are other days when I don’t want anything to do with the gospel. There are also many days in between, and all over the scale. I would like to always burn with the passion of Your love, but I first need to often burn that way – to lift myself, through You, into a higher place. Lord, as I walk through my earthly life, doing the best I can with what I have, let me seek and find You along the way. Help me listen for Your voice and see Your works so that I can someday celebrate and rejoice with You in heaven. Amen.
August 22, 2007
“And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing; sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.”
Dear Lord, these words serve as a reminder that no matter how great or significant my problems are, they pale in comparison to what You went through. While I rejoice in Your presence, Your blessings, and all the gifts You continue to give, I think of the sacrifice You made, and I am humbled. I will never fully appreciate, comprehend, or understand what You did, but I need to remind myself of it constantly. Your pain and suffering gives me the life I have, and the promise of salvation – and for that, I will never be thankful enough. Lord, I pray for the strength to accept the trials in my life, to put them in perspective against what You suffered, and to be ever grateful for what You have given me. Amen.
August 21, 2007
“And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.”
Dear Lord, not to sound overly dramatic, but sometimes I feel that my own little world is filled with devils, all with the intent of bringing me down. No matter where I look, where I try to hide, where I run for sanctuary, they are there. I know that most of them are of my own creation, and instead of seeing them, I need to look for You. I know that You are present everywhere, and You are with me no matter where I go. In my periods of doubt, fear, anger, and confusion, I pray that I will look for Your face and listen for Your voice. Let me run from the dangers of this world into Your loving arms, where I always will find peace and comfort. Amen.
