May 23, 2008

“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the outermost part of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall find me, and Your hand shall hold me.”

Dear Lord, communing with You is often difficult for me, but for You, it is a simple, loving process. No matter where I am, You are there. If I choose not to follow, You will still be there. If I try to hide, You know where to find me. Knowing all that, and knowing what incredible gifts and blessings You have given me, why would I choose to follow anyone else? Heavenly Father, thank You for leading and guiding me, for watching over and protecting me, for giving me more than I deserve, and for Your many gifts. I pray to always be in Your sight, and to always keep You in mine. Amen.

 

May 22, 2008

“And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there – none other has ever known.”

Dear Lord, for perhaps the first time ever, I heard and comprehended the word ‘we’ in this hymn. ‘We share joy … we tarry ….’ as in, You are there with me, and You are sharing with me the happiness that I feel, and – possibly even greater – You are not hurrying me along so You can be with someone else. You will be with me as long as I need You. What an amazing, glorious, wonderful gift! Heavenly Father, thank You for never leaving me, for always loving me, for sharing all of my experiences, for celebrating the joys and mourning the losses, and for Your constant, abiding, everlasting, incredible, amazing gifts of salvation, peace, grace, and love. May I always see You with me every step of my way. Amen.

 

May 21, 2008

“Oh, happy day, happy day – You took my sin away.
Oh, happy day, happy day – I’ll never be the same; forever I am changed. Thank You, Lord!”

Dear Lord, what a glorious, wonderful way to start the day! The knowledge that I am free of sin and worthy of forgiveness and grace is an incredible thought. I am awed, humbled, and inspired – now I need to take those feelings and work with them, take action, and put them to Your use. Heavenly Father, thank You for the gifts You have given me and continue to give me. May I find within the strength to return to You, and to others through You, all that I have been given. I pray that I will use the examples of Your selfless acts of love, grace, kindness, and mercy to be a better disciple for Your word. Amen.

 

May 20, 2008

“Oh! Precious is the flow that makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

Dear Lord, of all the gifts I ever could receive, the greatest are the ones You gave me before I was born: Salvation, peace, and forgiveness. I am so grateful to live as one of Your disciples, and I am thankful and grateful for all You have given me. The disappointments and hurts have molded and shaped me; the celebrations and successes have given me great joy, and every experience has helped bring me closer to You. Lord, I know I can be a better man, father, son, brother, and friend, and I pray for the courage and faith to stand with You for the rest of my days. Let me give back to others as You have given me, and let me always share Your love and glory with those around me. Amen.

 

May 19, 2008

“Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul.”

Dear Lord, Through all my trials, hurts, and disappointments, I too often lose sight of the knowledge and assurance that You are there with me. I get too worked up thinking I need to make a decision on my own, when in fact all I need to do is turn to You for guidance and help in making the decision. Heavenly Father, that You for Your calming and reassuring presence in my life, and I pray for the strength to remember it and rely on it more and more – in fact, to rely only on You. Let me remember that You will guide me through the darkest paths and the most ominous shadows with strength and love – with You, I truly have nothing to fear. Amen.

 

May 16, 2008

“And age to age He stands, and time is in His hand, beginning and the end.
The Godhead Three in One, Father, Spirit, Son; the Lion and the Lamb – How great is our God!”

Dear Lord, choices … conflicts … how do I know what You want and need me to do, and how do I filter out the noise and distractions? I pray for wisdom and discernment, and the clearness of mind and heart to follow Your guidance, but forgive me, Lord – I do not always know what that guidance is. Do I need to pray as Christ did, so that I sweat drops of blood? I am trying, Lord – I really and truly am. Please help me find the right way and the right path, and help me make the right decisions – ones that will best serve You and Your kingdom. Amen.

 

May 15, 2008

“Though often tempted, tormented, and tested, and like the prophet my pillow a stone;
And though I find here no permanent dwelling, I know He’ll give me a mansion my own.”

Dear Lord, I am restless. As much as I used to not like change, I have learned to accept it, and sometimes embrace it – yet it is an odd dichotomy to at once dislike change but on the other hand be restless and yearn to wander. There have been, and are, issues in my life when I have faced a choice, and more often than not, one choice is to resist change, while the other is to roam. Heavenly Father, I pray that I have followed that path You laid out for me when faced with those decisions, and I pray that I will continue to follow Your guidance. I know I cannot make these decisions on my own, and I need Your guiding hand and gentle spirit. Lord, I pray for eyes to see and ears to hear, so that I know in my heart and soul that I am doing Your will. Amen.

 

May 14, 2008

“I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord – no tender love like Thine can peace afford …
Kneel at the cross, Christ will lead you there – come and leave every care.”

Dear Lord, two messages came through this morning, and both were ones that I need to hear. I do need You every hour, and every minute, and I need to be more fervent in my prayers. Instead of letting petty issues trouble me and get in the way of my day. I need to pray them away. When the day seems to get away from me and spiral into darkness, I need to pray for light and comfort. Heavenly Father, I know You are always there, but I do not always come to You. I pray for the strength to look only to You and for You in times of hurt and pain, as well as times of celebration and joy. Let me remember to always look to You for guidance, comfort, strength, and mercy. Amen.

 

May 13, 2008

“Glory! I give glory to The One who saved my soul.
You found me and You freed me from the shame that was my own.
I cannot begin to tell how merciful You’ve been;
Lord, my ears have heard of You, and now my eyes have seen.”

Dear Lord, I certainly heard and felt Your presence three years ago, and I continue to feel it now, even though, by my own admission, I am not listening as closely as I know I should. Lord, I know You can perform miracles and touch the darkest of hearts, and while I do not need a miracle, nor is my heart very dark, I know that I am need of Your faithful, constant, and abiding love. As I continue to walk through valleys, I give thanks for Your guiding light of mercy and salvation, and I thank You for never leaving my side. Heavenly Father, I do give You all glory and praise, and I thank You for Your love, Your mercies, and Your grace. Amen.

 

May 12, 2008

“O clap your hands together, all ye people! O sing unto God with a voice of melody!
For the Lord is high and to be feared – He is the great King, above all the earth!”

Dear Lord, even on rainy, gloomy, dreary days, Your love and majesty shine through. With a song in my heart and a spirit of anticipation and excitement, I begin a new week, and I thank You for being with me and guiding me to this day. I take comfort in the knowledge and faith that You are with me, that You created me for a purpose special to my talents and abilities, and that You will not let any plans You have for me go unfulfilled. Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful gift of life, for days of gloom, days of wonder, days of fear, days of courage, and every day – for every day is a gift, and living in Your kingdom as one of Your disciples is the greatest gift of all. Amen.