June 10, 2008

“One day every tongue will confess You are God, one day every knee will bow.
Still, the greatest treasure remains for those who gladly choose You now.”

Dear Lord, have I chosen You? Sometimes I wonder if my tongue has truly and fully accepted You. My thoughts and feelings wander at times, as does my faith – does that mean I am not a believer? I struggle with my energy for church and worship, and with my desire to do Your work. Am I not a member of Your kingdom? Heavenly Father, I pray for the courage and strength to truly follow You, believe in You, and speak Your name with reverence, love and pride. May I be a disciple of Yours, and a follower and believer, so that I can proclaim Your name to the world. I pray that I will find the desire to confess that You are my Lord and God. Amen.

June 6, 2008

“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, even in times of doubt and fear, it is easy to think why these might be the best and happiest days of my life. I have two wonderful children, a steady job, a loving family, good friends, food to eat, and the comforts of life that I need. However, as good as this life is, You have promised me an even greater life with You. As the hymn says, what a day of rejoicing that will be! Heavenly Father, thank You for Your countless blessings in this life, and for the promise of salvation in the next life. May I continue to be thankful, grateful, and full of praise for all You have given, and may I look forward in anticipation and peace to what You have prepared for me. Amen.

June 5, 2008

“There is none in the heavens like You, and upon the earth, who’s Your equal?
You are far above, You’re the highest of heights; I am bowing down to exalt You.”

Dear Lord, No one can give me what You can give me. Beyond that, You give without asking, without expectation, and without a request for reciprocation. Through You I have life, blessings and gifts beyond what I ever can deserve … and still, there are times when I ignore You or brush aside all that You are. Heavenly Father, I confess my shortcomings, my sins, and my thoughtlessness toward You. I pray for the strength and courage to stay on a right path that is guided by You and leads only to You. May I always remember the love You have shown me, the blessings You give me, and the forgiveness You bestow, and may I always put You first in my life, above all others. Amen.

June 4, 2008

“I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause; I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than world-wide fame, I’d rather be true to His holy name.”

Dear Lord, I face temptation every day, and more often than not, I yield to it. This hymn strikingly tells what my choices are should I choose to follow or not follow You. I can either claim Your love and grace by worshiping Your name, or I can have fame and adulation from others. On the surface, that is not a difficult choice – after all, who would not want to be loved, honored, and admired? Well, the one to love, honor and admire is You. Rather than seek fame for myself, I should channel my energy into praising and lifting Your name. Heavenly Father, I pray for humility, wisdom, and courage to stand aside and let Your name be the one lifted and praised. May I be just another disciple for You – strong, brave, faithful, and worshipful of Your name. Amen.

June 3, 2008

“You have loved me with such perfect love; fathered me with such a tender touch.
Your faithfulness surrounds my soul, Your mercy lifts my head – how could I repay all You have done?”

Dear Lord, I know that I am not worthy of Your love and grace, so the knowledge and understanding that You gave those to me anyway is very humbling. The best I can do is to love and worship You, and to share Your gospel with others – and in those areas, I know I am falling short. Heavenly Father, I pray not only for Your continued mercy and blessing, but the quiet and forceful encouragement to do more for You and Your kingdom. I pray that my failures and shortcomings, and lack of faith and good work for You, will be overcome in the years ahead, and that I will be able to stand at Your throne with awe, pride, and honor. Let me learn how to love and serve You as You continue to teach and guide me. Amen.

June 2, 2008

“And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on – a glorious light beyond all compare.
“There will be an end to these troubles, but until that day comes, we’ll live to know You here on the earth.”

Dear Lord, is there where the phrase ‘I can see light at the end of the tunnel’ comes from? Truly, knowing You and accepting Your gifts of salvation and forgiveness give me peace and the hope of eternal life. However, in my human and earthly mindset, I still want situations to be dealt with in the present, and my impatience wants everything resolved now – not at some distant, unknown point in the future. Lord, for those times when I cannot focus on the glorious future You have promised me, I thank You for holding me in Your arms and continuing to grant me love and peace. Thank You for not letting go of me, for blessing me beyond my dreams, and for giving me all that I have. May I come to know You better so that my days will be filled with the knowledge and truth of You and Your love. Amen.

May 30, 2008

“And You hold in Your hand every star, the sun, and moon;
Yet those hands are marred and wounded from nails.
Precious blood at the cross was poured out for the nations,
And this love that drove salvation never fails.”

Dear Lord, all too often I use a downswing in my life as an excuse to be rude, less helpful, less open,
and less friendly, and to not work as hard – sometimes not at all. When I read the words of this
anthem, I am reminded that despite Your pain and suffering, You still forgave – and forgive – everyone.
No one is too small or insignificant to You, and no problem is too large or difficult to overcome.
Heavenly Father, I am humbled by Your love and grace, and I earnestly seek Your forgiveness and
pardon. Help me to remember that my life is complete only because of You, and when things turn
bad for me, let me use Your life as an example to find the good in everything. You give me life, hope,
peace, and rest, and may I always remember to love and praise You for those gifts. Amen.

May 29, 2008

“I’m happy to be in the truth, and I will daily lift my hands
For I will always sing of when Your love came down.”

Dear Lord, I give You thanks and praise every day, but the nightly prayers that I offer are not enough to express my thanks and love for You. Through every experience, good or bad, I am grateful and thankful because I know all of it is for a greater purpose than I can imagine. Help me Lord, to pray not only at night, and not only when asked, but often and more frequently, and to not only give thanks for all that I have, but to lift concerns and requests to You. Let me prayer life be a form of worship and praise, and may I keep my eyes and ears open to see and hear You. Amen.

May 28, 2008

“For my pardon, this I see, nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Dear Lord, when something goes wrong, or does not go the way I want, it is easy for me to say, “It will be okay,’ or “In time, things will work out,” or “If I just ….” or “If only ….” In fact, though, none of those will resolve the situation, alleviate my fears, or help the situation. All that I need, and all that I must do, is pray for Your will and forgiveness. Heavenly Father, I cannot do this on my own – whatever the ‘this’ is. I know that I need You in my life, and I know that You will guide me to a safe, purposeful, rewarding path. Until I truly seek that, I am wandering in darkness. Lord, I pray for the desire to listen for Your voice, to repent of all my sins, and to follow You where You lead. Amen.

May 27, 2008

“Take my will, and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.”

Dear Lord, my will is Yours. I put all my faith and trust in You to guide and direct me where You want and need me to be. I pray for that guidance every day of my life, and I pray also that I am doing Your will. There are things I still do for myself that are selfish and self-serving, and I pray for the strength to move away from that kind of behavior. Heavenly Father, I pray for the courage, strength, and desire to be more like You, to better serve You, and to better love You in all my thoughts and actions. May I continue to listen and look for Your voice, so that everything I do will truly be what You want and need. Amen.