Mar 9 The Olive Tree

O Father, thank You for teaching me about the significance of an olive tree.  As I studied in the Garden of Gethsemane, I learned of the value of all that the olive tree stands for and produces.

So I pray the verses with new understanding:  “As for me, I am like an olive tree flourishing in the House of God”

As for me, Lord, may I be like a green olive tree flourishing in Your House:

May I be alive, vibrant, and growing
May I produce abundant fruit in season,
May I have long thick roots that penetrate deep into spiritual soil.

May I grow protected from harm and harshness because I abide in Your House O Lord.  Thank You that as my gardener, You tend to me personally to be sure I have everything I need to grow healthy and strong.

May I grow in community, surrounded by others, our roots and trunks intertwining like olive trees grow, without comparing myself to them, but shading them, and drawing needed shade from them. 

May I draw on the strength of being in community with those You have placed around me so I can persevere and remain strong even when the winds come, leaning on others and providing stability for them in return.

May I stand in the midst of others for years and years and years to come, like the two 2400-year-old olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane.  They stood by You as You knelt on that fateful night and prayed before Your arrest and Crucifixion.

Let me be like the olive tree that is both beautiful to look at and amazing in purpose.

May others see me and see Your care, and be drawn to You through me.

As the olive tree produces food to eat, and oil for lamps, soaps for cleansing, and ointments for anointing and healing; let me be nourishment and light and cleansing and blessing and healing to those around me.

I will trust in Your loving-kindness and unfailing love for ever and ever –Even when I am confused
Even when I can’t see Your will at work
Even when I don’t feel Your presence
Even when the world denies it
Even through tears and pain and sorrow

I will thank You for all You have done

I will hope in Your Name, for it is good
I will praise You – forever. Amen

Psalm 52:8-9

Mar 9 The Olive Tree

O Father, thank You for teaching me about the significance of an olive tree.  As I studied in the Garden of Gethsemane, I learned of the value of all that the olive tree stands for and produces.

So I pray the verses with new understanding:  “As for me, I am like an olive tree flourishing in the House of God”

As for me, Lord, may I be like a green olive tree flourishing in Your House:

May I be alive, vibrant, and growing
May I produce abundant fruit in season,
May I have long thick roots that penetrate deep into spiritual soil.

May I grow protected from harm and harshness because I abide in Your House O Lord.  Thank You that as my gardener, You tend to me personally to be sure I have everything I need to grow healthy and strong.

May I grow in community, surrounded by others, our roots and trunks intertwining like olive trees grow, without comparing myself to them, but shading them, and drawing needed shade from them. 

May I draw on the strength of being in community with those You have placed around me so I can persevere and remain strong even when the winds come, leaning on others and providing stability for them in return.

May I stand in the midst of others for years and years and years to come, like the two 2400-year-old olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane.  They stood by You as You knelt on that fateful night and prayed before Your arrest and Crucifixion.

Let me be like the olive tree that is both beautiful to look at and amazing in purpose.

May others see me and see Your care, and be drawn to You through me.

As the olive tree produces food to eat, and oil for lamps, soaps for cleansing, and ointments for anointing and healing; let me be nourishment and light and cleansing and blessing and healing to those around me.

I will trust in Your loving-kindness and unfailing love for ever and ever –Even when I am confused
Even when I can’t see Your will at work
Even when I don’t feel Your presence
Even when the world denies it
Even through tears and pain and sorrow

I will thank You for all You have done

I will hope in Your Name, for it is good
I will praise You – forever. Amen

Psalm 52:8-9

May 2 All His Benefits…

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…”

O Lord, if I took a whole day, I could never list all the benefits You lavish on me.  I take so many things for granted.  Often I don’t even think about how every breath that I take is from You!  And I should be thankful.

Beginning when I wake up in the morning, I am thankful that I do wake up!  And that I can breathe clean air in a warm bed, in a secure house, with a family I love, with food to eat and clean water to drink and bathe in.  I have more clothes in my closet than some people on this planet ever own in a lifetime!  And many pairs of shoes.

It’s a choice for me to eat breakfast or not.  And if I choose to eat, I have several options of clean, untainted food in a kitchen with running water and convenient appliances to make food preparation almost effortless.  My fridge keeps my food cold to preserve its freshness until I want it.  Then, at the turn of a switch or the push of a button, I can cook it.  Another button and my dishes are washed.

Just this part of my day is blessed far more than most of the people on this earth.

I live in freedom to be what I want to be, go where I want to go, with whom I want to be with.  I can choose my career, my husband, my entertainment.  I can worship You in the open however I want, read scripture without fear of arrest or imprisonment.  I can attend public church services without being detained and beaten, or having my property seized, or my life forfeited.

When I step outside my house, I see a beautiful sky, majestic mountains, flowering trees, gorgeous flowers.  We have warm, rainy, windy Springs, temperate Summers, gorgeously colored, cool Falls, and crisp, snow covered Winters – all four seasons in a beautiful and varied environment rich with birds of many kinds, singing their Spring songs and migrating south in the Fall.

On top of all this, You preserve my life, forgive my sins, deliver me from the oppression and deceit of satan.  You show me love I did not earn, and pour out mercy and compassion on me I do not deserve.

You satisfy my desires with good things, or remove those wrongful desires from me.  You answer my prayers, guide me with Your wisdom, encourage me with Your Word, and have promised to take me into paradise with You for all eternity.

Father, help me remember every day to thank You for something.  Open my eyes to things I take for granted, and accept my praise for Your goodness.  Remind me at the beginning of every month, to come back and read Psalm 103 and spend time “forgetting not, all of Your benefits”.  Amen

Psalm 103

May 2 All His benefits…

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…”

O Lord, if I took a whole day, I could never list all the benefits You lavish on me.  I take so many things for granted.  Often I don’t even think about how every breath that I take is from You!  And I should be thankful.

Beginning when I wake up in the morning, I am thankful that I do wake up!  And that I can breathe clean air in a warm bed, in a secure house, with a family I love, with food to eat and clean water to drink and bathe in.  I have more clothes in my closet than some people on this planet ever own in a lifetime!  And many pairs of shoes.

It’s a choice for me to eat breakfast or not.  And if I choose to eat, I have several options of clean, untainted food in a kitchen with running water and convenient appliances to make food preparation almost effortless.  My fridge keeps my food cold to preserve its freshness until I want it.  Then, at the turn of a switch or the push of a button, I can cook it.  Another button and my dishes are washed.

Just this part of my day is blessed far more than most of the people on this earth.

I live in freedom to be what I want to be, go where I want to go, with whom I want to be with.  I can choose my career, my husband, my entertainment.  I can worship You in the open however I want, read scripture without fear of arrest or imprisonment.  I can attend public church services without being detained and beaten, or having my property seized, or my life forfeited.

When I step outside my house, I see a beautiful sky, majestic mountains, flowering trees, gorgeous flowers.  We have warm, rainy, windy Springs, temperate Summers, gorgeously colored, cool Falls, and crisp, snow covered Winters – all four seasons in a beautiful and varied environment rich with birds of many kinds, singing their Spring songs and migrating south in the Fall.

On top of all this, You preserve my life, forgive my sins, deliver me from the oppression and deceit of satan.  You show me love I did not earn, and pour out mercy and compassion on me I do not deserve.

You satisfy my desires with good things, or remove those wrongful desires from me.  You answer my prayers, guide me with Your wisdom, encourage me with Your Word, and have promised to take me into paradise with You for all eternity.

Even in this time of distancing and isolation, I am safer and better off than most of the rest of the world.  Even in this temporary, difficult time, I have so much to be thankful for.

Father, help me remember every day to thank You for something.  Open my eyes to things I take for granted, and accept my praise for Your goodness.  Remind me at the beginning of every month, to come back and read Psalm 103 and spend time “forgetting not, all of Your benefits”.  Amen

Psalm 103

May 2 All His benefits…

“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits…”

O Lord, if I took a whole day, I could never list all the benefits You lavish on me.  I take so many things for granted.  Often I don’t even think about how every breath that I take is from You!  And I should be thankful.

Beginning when I wake up in the morning, I am thankful that I do wake up!  And that I can breathe clean air in a warm bed, in a secure house, with a family I love, with food to eat and clean water to drink and bathe in.  I have more clothes in my closet than some people on this planet ever own in a lifetime!  And many pairs of shoes.

It’s a choice for me to eat breakfast or not.  And if I choose to eat, I have several options of clean, untainted food in a kitchen with running water and convenient appliances to make food preparation almost effortless.  My fridge keeps my food cold to preserve its freshness until I want it.  Then, at the turn of a switch or the push of a button, I can cook it.  Another button and my dishes are washed.

Just this part of my day is blessed far more than most of the people on this earth.

I live in freedom to be what I want to be, go where I want to go, with whom I want to be with.  I can choose my career, my husband, my entertainment.  I can worship You in the open however I want, read scripture without fear of arrest or imprisonment.  I can attend public church services without being detained and beaten, or having my property seized, or my life forfeited.

When I step outside my house, I see a beautiful sky, majestic mountains, flowering trees, gorgeous flowers.  We have warm, rainy, windy Springs, temperate Summers, gorgeously colored, cool Falls, and crisp, snow covered Winters – all four seasons in a beautiful and varied environment rich with birds of many kinds, singing their Spring songs and migrating south in the Fall.

On top of all this, You preserve my life, forgive my sins, deliver me from the oppression and deceit of satan.  You show me love I did not earn, and pour out mercy and compassion on me I do not deserve.

You satisfy my desires with good things, or remove those wrongful desires from me.  You answer my prayers, guide me with Your wisdom, encourage me with Your Word, and have promised to take me into paradise with You for all eternity.

Father, help me remember every day to thank You for something.  Open my eyes to things I take for granted, and accept my praise for Your goodness.  Remind me at the beginning of every month, to come back and read Psalm 103 and spend time “forgetting not, all of Your benefits”.  Amen

Psalm 103

Mar 9 The Olive Tree

O Father, thank You for teaching me about the significance of an olive tree.  As I studied in the Garden of Gethsemane, I learned of the value of all that the olive tree stands for and produces.

 

So I pray the verses with new understanding:  “As for me, I am like an olive tree flourishing in the House of God”

As for me, Lord, may I be like a green olive tree flourishing in Your House:

May I be alive, vibrant, and growing

May I produce abundant fruit in season,

May I have long thick roots that penetrate deep into spiritual soil.

May I grow protected from harm and harshness because I abide in Your House O Lord.  Thank You that as my gardener, You tend to me personally to be sure I have everything I need to grow healthy and strong.

May I grow in community, surrounded by others, our roots and trunks intertwining like olive trees grow, without comparing myself to them, but shading them, and drawing needed shade from them.

May I draw on the strength of being in community with those You have placed around me so I can persevere and remain strong even when the winds come, leaning on others and providing stability for them in return.

May I stand in the midst of others for years and years and years to come, like the two 2400 year old olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane.  They stood by You as  You knelt on that fateful night and prayed before Your arrest and Crucifixion.

Let me be like the olive tree that is both beautiful to look at and amazing in purpose. May others see me and see Your care, and be drawn to You through me.

As the olive tree produces food to eat, and oil for lamps, soaps for cleansing, and ointments for anointing and healing; let me be nourishment and light and cleansing and blessing and healing to those around me.

I will trust in Your loving-kindness and unfailing love for ever and ever –

Even when I am confused

Even when I can’t see Your will at work

Even when I don’t feel Your presence

Even when the world denies it

Even through tears and pain and sorrow

I will thank You for all You have done

I will hope in Your Name, for it is good

I will praise You – forever.  Amen

 

Psalm 52:8-9

Jan 31 Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

“Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard Jesus was passing by they called out. When You stopped, You asked what they wanted You to do for them. They asked for their sight. You had compassion on them and healed them. What a miracle!

I depend on Your mercy as well. And Your mercies are new every day. But if You were to ask what I want of You, I am already so blessed, it would be hard to answer.

You have already given me eternal life in Your presence for all time. You have forgiven my sin. You have allowed me to be born in a time when most disease is treatable, water and air are safe to drink and breathe, and injuries do not usually become life threatening.

I have no fear of wild animals attacking as I live in a safe place. You have placed me in a country where I have freedoms that most in the world do not. I can worship You freely, I can travel where I want, can vote for my form of government and live my life in peace within its protected borders, without persecution.

You have allowed me to be born into a loving, supportive, Christian family who raised me to love You. And who gave me not only adequate food, shelter, and an education, but loved me and encouraged me.

You have protected me and saved me from more tragedy and trauma than I know about. And have blessed me with a husband and children, and friends. I live in a beautiful place where every day I can look to the mountains and be reminded of Your strength and majesty.

I enjoy four seasons with all the consistent changes that come with them; weather, wildlife, life cycles of plants, flowers, trees. I have full use of all my senses that can take in the beauty around me and see your infinite diversity at work in birdsongs, floral aromas, the lushness of grass, the chill of fresh snow, the painted sky at sunrise and sunset.

As I think of all these things, my heart overflows with gratitude and thanksgiving.

Forgive me for not voicing it every day. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You!

For as many days as I have left on this earth, there will always be something to thank You for. And when I pass into that next part of our eternal relationship, “I will enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart, and enter Your courts with praise!”

Matthew 20:29-34, Psalm 100:4

Nov 13 I am in awe

Father, the city and leaders and people of Tyre had everything worldly possible to bring them success in material possessions and reputation.  Yet, they fell.

They took pride in their commerce and accomplishments and that pride kept them from worshipping You.  They saw themselves as gods.  And Your judgment fell on them.

Lord, do not let me think more highly of myself than I ought.   Thank You for Your example of being a humble servant.   As I try to follow Your example, if I ever think too much of myself, refocus me on Your greatness.

Psalm 111 reminds me that ”Great are the works of the Lord…glorious and majestic are His deeds.”   When I ponder all of creation, I am amazed by Your imagination!  I am captivated by the diversity in size and color and design!  I am overwhelmed by the power of Your mountains and seas and winds.

I love seeing pictures of majestic waterfalls, lush green jungles with brightly colored birds, schools of shiny fish swimming in the sea, brilliant flowers, water-colored sunsets.  All this is just a part of what You do.

Besides creating and sustaining all this, You have created the intricacies of each human body: from the tiniest of cells to the diversity of faces and fingerprints!

And not just bodies, but You know the mind and spirit of each individual on the planet.   You’re indescribable – uncontainable – unfathomable!  You blow my mind!

And a wondrous part of who You are is that You do not just set all this in motion and then sit back to see where it goes. You involve Yourself in the life of each of Your precious creations.   You speak, protect, provide, lead, feed, forgive, save.  And all that You do is just and right.

You have provided these later generations with Your written Word.   It teaches Your truth and Your character so all can know You, and Your faithfulness, Your uprightness and Your salvation.

You say “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”   The Hebrew word “yare” translated as “fear” here, is used in this sentence referring to a person in an exalted position: You.  Thus, the meaning includes a reverence, a standing in awe, whereby the individual recognizes the power and position, and renders the proper respect.

Father, I acknowledge Your power, Your sovereignty; and give You all honor and praise!  Let me continue to grow in wisdom.

How great and awesome You are!  “To You belongs eternal praise.”  Amen

Ezekiel 27:1-28:19; Psalm 111:1-10

Mar 9 the Olive Tree

O Father, thank You for teaching me about the significance of an olive tree. As I studied in the Garden of Gethsemane, I learned of the value of all that the olive tree stands for and produces.

So I pray the verses with this thought: “As for me, I am like an olive tree flourishing in the House of God”

As for me, Lord, may I be like a green olive tree flourishing in Your House:

May I be alive, vibrant, and growing

May I produce abundant fruit in season,

May I have long thick roots that penetrate deep into spiritual soil.

May I grow protected from harm and harshness because I abide in Your House O Lord. Thank You that as my gardener, You tend to me personally to be sure I have everything I need to grow healthy and strong.

May I grow in community, surrounded by others, our roots and trunks intertwining like olive trees grow, without comparing myself to them, but shading them, and drawing needed shade from them. May I draw on the strength of being in community with the others You have placed around me so that I can persevere and remain strong even when the winds come, leaning on others and providing stability for them in return.

May I stand in the midst of others for years and years and years to come, even as the two olive trees that have remained in the Garden of Gethsemane are still living after two thousand and four hundred years, and are the same ones You knelt by on that fateful night You prayed before Your arrest and Crucifixion.

Let me be like the olive tree that is both beautiful to look at and amazing in purpose.

May others see me and see Your care, and be drawn to You through me.

As the olive tree produces food to eat, and oil for lamps, soaps for cleansing, and ointments for anointing and healing; let me be nourishment and light and cleansing and blessing and healing to those around me.

I will trust in Your loving-kindness and unfailing love for ever and ever –

Even when I am confused

Even when I can’t see Your will at work

Even when I don’t feel Your presence

Even when the world denies it

Even through tears and pain and sorrow

I will thank You for all You have done

I will hope in Your Name, for it is good

I will praise You – forever. Amen

Psalm 52:8-9