“Shout for joy…Worship with gladness…Come before Him with joyful songs…Enter …with thanksgiving.”
Psalm 100 says this is how I am to approach You, Father. And some days it is easy. When the weather is good, my home is clean and in repair, when my family is healthy and getting along, when there are no natural or man-made disasters in the news, or wars, or storms, or shootings.
But other days, I am so affected by negative things, that it is hard to muster glad and joyful worship. It is more likely I sit and pour my heart out to You: about the condition of my hoome, my country, or the world.
There are days when everywhere I look in my home, I see only piles of stuff that need sorting or cleaning or some kind of attention I don’t have the energy for. And when the plumbing backs up or the fence blows down, or critters take up residence in the chimney, it creates stress and worry about the time and money and energy it will take to fix things.
When my children have some unidentified blood disease, or their appendix ruptures with complications, or they become depressed and unmotivated, or rebel against the way they were raised, I feel such a sense of loss and helplessness. When I visit with my friends and hear how they are coping (or not coping at all) with disabled children, or cancer, or divorce, or unrelenting disease and death, I am overwhelmed by my own inability to help.
When I turn on the tv and hear of destruction by natural disasters: floods, storms, earthquakes; or see evidence of man’s inhumanity towards man in attacks of violence, terrorism or murder, my heart is hardly filled with joy and thanks.
But within each of these, if I change my focus, I can see opportunities for You to be at work.
Because I know that “You are good and Your love endures forever” I can rejoice that You are my God! That I can call on You and You will answer me in whatever circumstances I find myself or the world in!
I thank You that You have given me friends. And that I can pray with them and for them. I praise You that there are no circumstances that overwhelm You. Thank You that You can give perspective and wisdom and healing to those who need it.
Thank You that You can turn a prodigal’s heart to You and bring them home. Thank You that You can reach around the world, where I cannot, to bring healing and help.
I thank You and praise You that You have made me a “sheep of Your pasture.” As Your sheep, I can ask for my Shepherd’s help for my home issues, for my family, for my friends, and for any in need due to natural disasters or violence.
I praise You that Your power supersedes any other. And that Your faithfulness allows me to have hope that whatever the circumstances, I can choose to focus on You. I can still worship with gladness and have joy! Amen
Daily Bible Prayer 