September 28, 2007
“His Word shall not fail you—He promised; believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell!”
Dear Lord, these words are so true – by believing in You and putting my faith in You, all will be well. You have a plan for me, and no matter what my fears and frustrations are, I need to obey Your guidance and stay on the path that You have laid out for me. The blessings and gifts I have received are because of Your grace and mercy, not by or from anything else. Heavenly Father, thank You for the absolute joy of a live lived in You. I pray that my understanding of Your blessings will continue to grow, that my faith will continue to deepen, that my eyes and ears will be more open for Your voice, and that I will learn to be even more grateful and thankful for all You have given me. Amen.
September 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, Your love is a gift. It is nothing that can be earned, won, fought for, bartered, bought, or sold. Accepting Your love takes effort, though. It requires a leap of faith, then patience and trust in You. The rewards, though, are so amazing, and so vast – so why is it so difficult to fully take hold of what You offer? As this hymn asks, why do I hesitate when You call for me, and why do I not always accept with gratitude the gifts that You have for me? Because my selfishness and ego get in the way, and I can be too stubborn to allow You to guide my path. Lord, I pray for the courage to give all of myself to You, and allow You to work wonders and miracles in my life, as You have promised. Let me be Your hands, Your mouth, Your feet, and Your heart. Amen.
September 26, 2007
“Don’t think me poor or deserted or lonely. I’m not discouraged, ‘cause I’m heaven-bound!
I’m just a pilgrim in search of a city – I want a mansion, a robe, and a crown.”
Dear Lord, is it bad to be selfish? When wanting more from earthly pursuits, I think it probably is – more wealth, more power, more possessions, more fame … but in this anthem, I sing that I want that which comes from a life with You: a mansion (in Your house), a robe (which You will give me when I enter Your kingdom), and a crown (a mark of glory and belonging). In this regard, being selfish is, I believe, a good thing – and knowing what it will require to obtain these possessions will keep me on track. Lord, I pray for the courage to stay faithful to You so that I can obtain the blessings and gifts of a life in Your kingdom. May I know the difference between selfishness on earth and selfishness for You. Amen.
September 25, 2007
“His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay.”
Dear Lord, many experiences in life have taught me that You are the only true security and source of peace. I can wish and hope for good and steady jobs, satisfying relationships, and material possessions, but if I have no relationship with You, none of that matters. And when I go through valleys of trouble, could any of those support me? No. Not in the way that You can. Only through Your love, mercy, and grace will I truly experience all that I have been given. I pray that I will always show thanks and gratitude for Your many gifts, and that I will keep focused on my relationship with You through all of my experiences. Amen.
September 21, 2007
“He speaks, and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me within my heart is ringing.”
Dear Lord, when I hear Your voice through others, it sometimes takes me a few minutes or more to realize what it is I heard. That tells me that I am not listening closely enough for You. I know that You speak to me every day, but whether I choose not to listen, or I tune You out, or I am paying attention to something else, I don’t always hear You. I pray, Lord, that the instances of hearing Your voice this week will help me realize even more that You are a real and true presence in my life, and that You have a plan and purpose for me. Let my eyes and ears be open to Your wonders and majesty, and for Your words of peace and reassurance. Amen.
September 20, 2007
“Ever since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be ‘til I die.”
Dear Lord, Your hand was all over my life yesterday, and I could see and feel every movement. As I said in my prayers last night, perhaps that is what caused me to feel so conflicted – I don’t remember ever having so many thoughts on different sides of the same situation presented to me, and I truly did feel overwhelmed at times. I give You thanks for helping me finish my day successfully, and for putting on my hearty the words to say this morning. As I go through my days ahead, I pray that I will continue to see Your work in my life, and that I will pause to acknowledge it, offer thanks and praise, and move forward to do the work that You want me to. Amen.
September 19, 2007
“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.”
Dear Lord, once again I hear your voice: “Be still, and know that I am God.” While I wonder and worry and stress and fret about whether or not to pursue a potential opportunity, Your voice comes through this hymn and reminds me that my issues and concerns are so very small. As long as I have faith and trust in You and come to You in prayer and humility, You will answer my needs and give me the help I need. Heavenly Father, thank You for Your guidance and support, for Your grace and forgiveness, and for loving me enough to let me hear Your voice. Guide me, Lord, to where and what You want and need me to be. Amen.
September 18, 2007
“Come, we that love the Lord, and let our joys be known;
Join in a song with sweet accord, and thus surround the throne.
“We’re marching to Zion, beautiful Zion. We’re marching upward to Zion, the beautiful city of God.”
Dear Lord, the word I need to pay attention to here is we: Come We that love the Lord …. we are marching
to Zion. One of the reasons that I feel less of a fire lately is that I don’t have an active fellowship of believers
– or that I don’t belong to an active fellowship. Church is wonderful, and I enjoy teaching Sunday School,
but I am missing that community of faith. Lord, I pray that I will find a way back in, and a that my flame for
You will be re-lit in glory. I pray that I will join others in worship and praise, and that the passion I have held for You will find its way back into my heart. May my faith in You serve as a spark to light the flame anew. Amen.
September 17, 2007
“Thou on my head in early youth didst smile; and, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee, on to the close, O Lord, abide with me.”
Dear Lord, these words are so true. You gave me life and blessings from before I was born, yet often in my youth and adulthood I have turned away from You, ignored You, questioned You, and denied You. Through it all, You have stayed with me, holding me up, lighting my path, and guiding my way. It is a testament to Your incredible, amazing, unfailing love that You continue to bless me, and I humbly thank You and offer You my praise. I pray, Lord, that I will continue to see Your light along my way, that I will hear Your voice – not only in the wilderness, but at all times, and that I will stay as close to You as You stay to me. Thank You for Your constant and abiding love. Amen.
September 14, 2007
“Kneel at the cross, there is room for all who would His glory share;
Bliss there awaits, harm can ne’er befall those who are anchored there.”
Dear Lord, the thoughts of my prayer started forming in my mind as I listened to the chorus of this hymn: “Kneel at the cross.” I hear a dual meaning in those words, and Your dual commandment for me. First, I need to pray more – on my knees, silently, aloud, with more depth and feeling. I need to come to You more, talk with You more, and listen for You more. Second, I need to fully and completely put my faith and trust in You. That has proven to be more difficult, but it is not impossible. The results of a strong faith in You are obvious, and a life in You is the life I desire. Lord, I pray for the strength to do better at both of these, and by doing so, to be a better disciple and follower. Amen.
