March 31, 2008
“The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty: Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.
He wraps himself in light, and darkness tries to hide, and trembles at His voice, trembles at His voice.”
Dear Lord, wrapped in light, You stand among us as Creator, Redeemer, Giver of life, Risen Lord … it is no wonder that the darkness fears You. Meanwhile, believers celebrate Your life and the resurrection of Your son – we rejoice and celebrate every day the grace and mercy of Your presence. Heavenly Father, may I always feel the passion and joy of being one of Your disciples. I pray for the courage to not look past my faith, but to embrace it and share it with others. May Your spirit fill me with love so that I may share with others the wonders and joys You have given me. Amen.
March 28, 2008
“Broken, I run to You for Your arms are open wide.
I am weary but I know Your touch restores my life.”
Dear Lord, do I feel broken more often that not, or does it just hurt so much when I do? I think the answer is that I fail to seek comfort in You, and Your absence only intensifies my pain. I know from experience that You can soothe my aching heart and give comfort when I find none, yet still I wallow in self-pity and allow myself to feel angry, upset, and hurt. Heavenly Father, thank You for never letting me out of Your sight, for providing relief and comfort, and for giving me countless offerings of love. May I truly and fully realize all that You are and all that I can be through You. Amen.
March 27, 2008
“Above all kingdoms, above all thrones, above all wonders the world has ever known.
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth; there’s no way to measure what You’re worth.”
Dear Lord, at times I feel that I do not want to know what You are worth. It feels too difficult, too much work, and too stressful to live as one of Your followers. ‘I can do this on my own,’ I think. ‘I can get by … I can survive … I can find my own happiness.’ I know in my heart, though, that when I feel that way, I need You more than ever. Lord, I cannot do it alone, and by following You, I have been given more peace and contentment. You give me life, Lord – the greatest gift of all – and I am deeply grateful and humble for that. For all of Your blessings, and for the knowledge of Your worth to me, I give You all thanks and praise. Amen.
March 26, 2008
“Lord, reign in me, reign in Your power, over all my dreams, in my darkest hour.
You are the Lord of all I am, so won’t You reign in me again.”
Dear Lord, sometimes I think my hours are darker than they really are, and in those times, I know that I need to turn to You for comfort and strength. Instead, I often push You away so that I can feel worse and worse. Heavenly Father, I pray for the wisdom to turn from destructive, selfish thoughts and instead turn to You in times of hurt and pain. May I feel only Your love when I am down, and may I truly know that You are the only Lord in my life. Thank You for Your never-ending love, and for never letting me out of Your sight. Amen.
March 25, 2008
“I want to spend some time with You, to steal away and be with You, so now I come.
Just to be with You, just to know more of Your love. Just to be with You, and love You.”
Dear Lord, as I reflect with joy and satisfaction a truly wonderful weekend, I remember how it feels to be so deeply in love with You that my spirit flows with energy – and I want to feel that again. Lord, I pray for the courage to look and listen for You in all of my activities, and to acknowledge Your presence when I do find it. Help me to see joy and love in the world around me, and to realize and recognize that it comes from You. I pray for the discernment to see Your face in the people in my life, and to open my eyes to possibilities of all kinds. Lord, thank You for letting me be with You, and for reminding me once more the glories of living among You. Amen.
March 19, 2008
“How my soul longs for You, longs to worship You forever.
In Your power and majesty, lift my hands, lift my heart, lift my voice toward the heavens,
For You are my sun and shield.”
Dear Lord, with You and through You I know I can accomplish great things for Your kingdom. Without You, I know that I am nothing, and can only hurt myself. For those reasons alone, I know that I need You and want You in my life. During those times when it is convenient to forget my faith, I ask forgiveness, and pray for strength and courage to not let that attitude become a standard for me. Let me remember that all I want and need is in You and You alone. I pray that I will find new ways to love and praise You, to serve You, to listen for and heed You call for me. Heavenly Father, let my soul be Yours, and as You grant me comfort and grace, let me be Your voice to those I meet. Amen.
March 18, 2008
“Over every thought, over every word may my life reflect the beauty of my Lord,
‘Cause You mean more to me than any earthy thing, so won’t You reign in me again.”
Dear Lord, as I struggle and strive for new ways of seeing You and listening for Your call to me, I think of these words and how I need to be more aware of what surrounds me, for You are in everything. As I see the glories of Your creation, let me filled with praise and thanksgiving, for as great as that is, You created an even greater gift in me. Let me never look past the glorious gift of life with which You have blessed me, and let me always give thanks and praise to You for the wonders of my life and the lives of every earthly thing in my presence. Amen.
March 17, 2008
“Broken I run to You for Your arms are open wide.
I am weary but I know Your touch restores my life.”
Dear Lord, So many wonderful thoughts are contained in these words – You greet me with love and compassion as I come to You in need; You know that I will be tired and hungry for Your love; You give me hope and new life … Lord, Your salvation is such an incredible blessing, and I am so grateful. Sometimes I think that I could come to You broken every day, but it is Your love that gives me hope every day, even when I do not always recognize it. For the times that I am truly in need, I know You are always there with open arms, love, and compassion. Lord, thank You for never letting go of me, and waiting to comfort me when I need Your healing and restorative touch. May I always and forever know to run to You for the love and comfort that only You provide. Amen.
March 14, 2008
“I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about You, Jesus.
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it, when it’s all about You – all about You, Jesus.”
Dear Lord, at its most personal and intimate, worship is the closest we get to You. That’s why getting to the heart of worship is about being as close to You as I can. I confess that I have not been very good at that lately, and I ask Your forgiveness. Lord, I see and feel You often during the week, and often on Sunday mornings when I am with my class, but I miss the personal connection from a worship service. I pray that You will help me find the desire to once again sing and praise Your name, to listen to Your word and about the life of our church, to join others in a community of praise and fellowship as we worship with You. Let me heart again be open to the wonders and glory of Your love and mercy. Amen.
March 13, 2008
“You are the everlasting God, You will not faint, You won’t grow weary.
You’re the defender of the weak, You comfort those in need, You lift us up on wings like eagles.”
Dear Lord, given time, I could make a long list of Your greatest gifts and blessings, but I think the greatest of all is Your never-ending love. No matter what I do, You are there with me and for me, and Your love never will leave me. When I am sad, hurt, lonely, depressed, frustrated, angry, embarrassed … it does not matter to You, because You will love me even more than You did a moment before. Your protect me, You guide me, You strengthen me … no matter what. Heavenly Father, thank You for never letting me out of Your sight, for giving me strength and comfort when I need it the most, and for holding me in Your arms with love and care. Amen.
