Sept 1 Unworthy…but loved and blessed

Finally, Father, I am to the end of the book of Job where You literally spoke to him.  And when he actually beheld You, after all his suffering, and all his questioning, all he could say was “I am unworthy…” 

It is an emotional response from a man at the end of himself, beholding Your immensity and magnificence.  But it is also a statement of fact, that is true for me and every one of Your creations.

I am unworthy.  Unworthy of Your attention, of Your blessing, of Your love.  And yet all that I enjoy in my life and in my relationship with You has nothing to do with my worthiness, or my ability to somehow earn anything from You. 

I am blessed and loved and cared for, because of who You are.  Your love transcends my unworthiness.  Your faithfulness trumps my undeserving state. 

Job follows Your statements of greatness with, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.”  And I echo those words, Father.

I know that You can do ALL things.  I have no doubt that You can heal all my infirmities.  You can take unhealthy tissue and make it whole again.

You can heal my relationships and make them god-honoring.

You can guide my children into Your wisdom and give them a hunger and thirst for You.

You can bless them with godly mentors and success in all they put their hand to.You can return the prodigal son to right relationship with You.

Father, I believe that there is nothing in this world, or above it, or below it, that can thwart Your plans.  I trust that the plans You have for me and all my family are plans to prosper us and not to harm us, and to give us hope and a future.  I know that You are faithful to complete the good work You began in each of us.

Even if we have chosen to leave the path You have laid out for each of us, I trust that You will call us back.

You know best how to reach each of us.  Father, open our ears to hear You, and open our hearts and spirits to desire to obey You.   Strengthen our spirits when our flesh is weak.

I praise You Father, that this power resides in You.   And that in Your love and grace, “You made [Job] prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before…You blessed the latter part of his life more than the first.”

Thank You for this example of Your goodness and Your blessing.   Thank You for this story of his faithfulness to You.

I pray that I too, at the end of my life, no matter what comes, I will be able to say “blessed be the name of the Lord.”  Amen

Job 40:1-42:17

Aug 22 Help me stand strong

O Lord, I have never experienced the misery and suffering of Job, but his pain and the depth of his despair are clear to me.   So it seems to me that what his friend is saying is terribly insensitive.  It sounds as if he is trying to encourage Job to trust in his own righteousness.

The belief that trouble came from sin was popular then, so presumably Job brought this upon himself.  And if he confessed his sin to You that would be an easy fix.  But that is not the truth.

 What I do like about what this friend says is that they all have faith in You, Lord and in Your power.   And that Job should “appeal to You and lay his cause before You.”  For no matter what the problem, You are the solution.  You always have the power and authority to act.

The friend spells out Your power in a way that encourages me.  “You perform wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” 

 I get to see some of those wonders and miracles every day when I see the strength of majestic mountains or the wide-open sky, or the beauty of a sunset, the flight of birds, the colors of a rainbow, the faces of my loved ones.  Or when I see and feel and smell the deep velvety red richness of my roses.  Or when I feel the coolness of the air and smell the freshness after a rain.  Or when I play or hear music that reaches a place in my spirit that fills me with elation.

 I too, believe in and trust in Your power, Your ability to do wonders and perform miracles.

 One thing Job asks: “I would not deny the words of the Holy One.”  Job says that even in unrelenting pain, he would have joy if he could still stand strong in his faith and not deny You. 

I echo that prayer Father.  I ask that whatever comes into my life, You would take me before I shame or dishonor You.

Strengthen me to endure whatever You allow.  You know me best.  And if something comes that You know is stronger than I have it in me to bear, just take me to be with You.

Thank You Father.  Amen

Job 4:1-7:21

Aug 21 Blessed be Your name

Father, I have often wondered why You singled out Job and allowed so much suffering to come into one life.  How tragic, and yet how strong was his faith in You.  It stood up to all satan threw at him.  He did not curse You, but responded with those famous words: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; may the name of the lord be praised.” 

What a testimony that he could still praise You in the face of all the tragedy and suffering!   I would not want Job’s misfortunes.  When much less has happened to me, I have heard my own thoughts turn to thinking it would have been better had I never been born.

It makes me wonder, have I made comfort and ease idols?

Father, my life is so blessed.  With so much.  And I take so much of it for granted.  Help me be more thankful to You for all You have given me.  Help me have an “attitude of gratitude” in my daily life.

Remind me to express my thanks to others, and my praise to You.  Gratitude and thankfulness are signs of my faith.  In this I do want to be more like Job.

There is a praise song by Matt Redman that expresses just this thought:

Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

And blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Father, let that describe me.  Amen

Job 1:1-2:13

Sept 1 Unworthy…but loved and blessed

Finally, Father, I am to the end of the book of Job where You literally spoke to him.  And when he actually beheld You, after all his suffering, and all his questioning, all he could say was “I am unworthy…” 

It is an emotional response from a man at the end of himself, beholding Your immensity and magnificence.  But it is also a statement of fact, that is true for me and every one of Your creations.

I am unworthy.  Unworthy of Your attention, of Your blessing, of Your love.  And yet all that I enjoy in my life and in my relationship with You has nothing to do with my worthiness, or my ability to somehow earn anything from You. 

I am blessed and loved and cared for, because of who You are.  Your love transcends my unworthiness.  Your faithfulness trumps my undeserving state.

Job follows Your statements of greatness with, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.”  And I echo those words, Father.

I know that You can do ALL things.  I have no doubt that You can heal all my infirmities.  You can take unhealthy tissue and make it whole again.

You can heal my relationships and make them god-honoring.

You can guide my children into Your wisdom and give them a hunger and thirst for You.

You can bless them with godly mentors and success in all they put their hand to.

You can return the prodigal son to right relationship with You.

Father, I believe that there is nothing in this world, or above it, or below it, that can thwart Your plans.  I trust that the plans You have for me and all my family are plans to prosper us and not to harm us, and to give us hope and a future.  I know that You are faithful to complete the good work You began in each of us.

Even if we have chosen to leave the path You have laid out for each of us, I trust that You will call us back.

You know best how to reach each of us.  Father, open our ears to hear You, and open our hearts and spirits to desire to obey You.   Strengthen our spirits when our flesh is weak.

I praise You Father, that this power resides in You.   And that in Your love and grace, “You made [Job] prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before…You blessed the latter part of his life more than the first.”

Thank You for this example of Your goodness and Your blessing.   Thank You for this story of his faithfulness to You.

I pray that I too, at the end of my life, no matter what comes, I will be able to say “blessed be the name of the Lord.”  Amen

Job 40:1-42:17

Aug 22 Help me stand strong

O Lord, I have never experienced the misery and suffering of Job, but his pain and the depth of his despair are clear to me.   So it seems to me that what his friend is saying is terribly insensitive.  It sounds as if he is trying to encourage Job to trust in his own righteousness.

The belief then was that trouble came from sin, so presumably Job brought this upon himself.  And if he confessed his sin to You that would be an easy fix.  But that is not the truth.

 What I do like about what this friend says is that they all have faith in You, Lord and in Your power.   And that Job should “appeal to You and lay his cause before You.”  For no matter what the problem, You are the solution.  You always have the power and authority to act. 

The friend spells out Your power in a way that encourages me.  “You perform wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” 

 I get to see some of those wonders and miracles every day when I see the strength of majestic mountains or the wide open sky, or the beauty of a sunset, the flight of birds, the colors of a rainbow, the faces of my loved ones.  Or when I see and feel and smell the deep velvety red richness of my roses.  Or when I feel the coolness of the air and smell the freshness after a rain.  Or when I play or hear music that reaches a place in my spirit that fills me with elation.

 I too, believe in and trust in Your power, Your ability to do wonders and perform miracles.

 One thing Job asks: “I would not deny the words of the Holy One.”  Job says that even in unrelenting pain, he would have joy if he could still stand strong in his faith and not deny You. 

I echo that prayer Father.  I ask that whatever comes into my life, You would take me before I shame or dishonor You.

Strengthen me to endure whatever You allow.  You know me best.  And if something comes that You know is stronger than I have it in me to bear, just take me to be with You.

Thank You Father.  Amen

Job 4:1-7:21

Aug 21 Blessed be Your Name

Father, I have often wondered why You singled out Job and allowed so much suffering to come into one life.  How tragic, and yet how strong was his faith in You.  It stood up to all satan threw at him.  He did not curse You, but responded with those famous words: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; may the name of the lord be praised.”

What a testimony that he could still praise You in the face of all the tragedy and suffering!   I would not want Job’s misfortunes.  When much less has happened to me, I have heard my own thoughts turn to thinking it would have been better had I never been born.

It makes me wonder, have I made comfort and ease idols?

Father, my life is so blessed.  With so much.  And I take so much of it for granted.  Help me be more thankful to You for all You have given me.  Help me have an “attitude of gratitude” in my daily life.

Remind me to express my thanks to others, and my praise to You.  Gratitude and thankfulness are signs of my faith.  In this I do want to be more like Job.

There is a praise song by Matt Redman that expresses just this thought:

Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

And blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Father, let that describe me.  Amen

Job 1:1-2:13

Sept 1 Unworthy…but loved and blessed

Finally Father, I am to the end of the book of Job where You literally spoke to him.  And when he actually beheld You, after all his suffering, and all his questioning, all he could say was “I am unworthy…” 

It is an emotional response from a man at the end of himself, beholding Your immensity and magnificence.  But it is also a statement of fact, that is true for me and every one of Your creations.

I am unworthy.  Unworthy of Your attention, of Your blessing, of Your love.  And yet all that I enjoy in my life and in my relationship with You has nothing to do with my worthiness, or my ability to somehow earn anything from You.

I am blessed and loved and cared for, because of who You are.  Your love transcends my unworthiness.  Your faithfulness trumps my undeserving state. 

Job follows Your statements of greatness with, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.”  And I echo those words, Father.

I know that You can do ALL things.  I have no doubt that You can heal all my infirmities.  You can take unhealthy tissue and make it whole again.

You can heal my relationships and make them god-honoring.

You can guide my children into Your wisdom and give them a hunger and thirst for You.

You can bless them with godly mentors and success in all they put their hand to.

You can return the prodigal son to right relationship with You.

Father, I believe that there is nothing in this world, or above it, or below it, that can thwart Your plans.  I trust that the plans You have for me and all my family are plans to prosper us and not to harm us, and to give us hope and a future.  I know that You are faithful to complete the good work You began in each of us.

Even if we have chosen to leave the path You have laid out for each of us, I trust that You will call us back.

You know best how to reach each of us.  Father, open our ears to hear You, and open our hearts and spirits to desire to obey You.   Strengthen our spirits when our flesh is weak.

I praise You Father, that this power resides in You.   And that in Your love and grace, “You made [Job] prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before…You blessed the latter part of his life more than the first.”

Thank You for this example of Your goodness and Your blessing.   Thank You for this story of his faithfulness to You.

I pray that I too, at the end of my life, no matter what comes, I will be able to say “blessed be the name of the Lord.”  Amen

Job 40:1-42:17

Aug 31 Fix my eyes on the eternal

O Father, what amazing pictures are created with Your very words.

I can imagine “storehouses of snow;” sparkling, frosty, frozen, piled so high they are mountains in themselves!

And I can picture You “laying the earth’s foundations”, “marking off its dimensions,” “shutting up the seas behind doors,” “fixing the limits of [the seas] and setting its doors and bars in place.”   The mighty waters obeying Your commands, stopping where You say to stop.  Remaining only where You have given them permission to be.

Only You can bind and loose the stars as You “bring the constellations forth in their seasons.”  And I can see it as You “tip over the water jars of heaven” to bring such needed moisture to the earth.  You know “when each mountain goat gives birth” and see each “doe bear her fawn.”

Only You could give the ostrich her great speed, and the horse its strength with “flowing mane.”  From Your mighty words I am reminded of Your astounding strength, creativity, power and inventiveness.  And over it all, You alone have authority!

It reminds me how much I want to be with You.  Not here on earth, but enjoying the fullness of Your presence in heaven.  With Paul, I “groan, longing to be clothed with my heavenly dwelling…”   Also with Paul, I “live by faith and not by sight… and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  What a wonderful day that will be!

And yet, my time on earth is not done.  And although there are difficulties here I would rather skip over to just be with You, You have given me assurance that my “light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”   So I “will not lose heart!”  I will “be renewed day by day” by Your Word, and upheld by Your promises.

Father, help me “fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  So I will live, physically, in this world, but have my heart and my attention focused on the world that is to come.  Father, show me how to do that.

Do not let me be overwhelmed or discouraged by what is temporary.  Renew me day by day as I come to You in prayer.  Help me enjoy Your amazing Creation through the eyes of the Creator.   And I will not lose heart.  Amen

Job 38:1-39:30; II Corinthians 4:13-5:10

 

Aug 28 As the deer…

 

O Father, I would never desire the suffering of Job.  But how You blessed him!

Job recalls what his life was like before the troubles came.  Like Job, I often feel “Your lamp shining on my head” giving me the light I need to see.

You allow me to “walk through the darkness” by Your light.  Many times, in dire circumstances, Yours was the only light I had.   And it helped me find my way.

And like Job, I feel “Your intimate friendship blessing my house.”  When You are with me, my path is blessed and You provide for all my needs.  My children are around me and Your security and peace are here.  I know there are calamities You have saved me from, because I see them in people’s lives everywhere.  Thank You.

Father, I desire that like Job, when people hear of me, “they would speak well of me and commend me.”  Job thought that this light and peace and favor would last throughout his life.  But that is not guaranteed.

Father, remind me to show You my appreciation for all You have done for me.  It’s only by Your grace and mercy I have been blessed.  And I pray I would always live in Your presence and enjoy Your blessing.

The Psalmist put it so picturesquely, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.”   Without the replenishing energy of water, a body will dehydrate due to physical activity, even just breathing.  And just as the body needs water, and cannot go for long without it, my spirit needs You.

Like the deer, I thirst for Your presence, Your friendship, Your blessing.   You are the resource I need, that brings life.  Not just occasionally, but repeatedly, and often.

The deer pants for “streams of water.”  Not stagnant pools, or brackish puddles; but fresh, flowing, living water.  Father, You are Living Water.  Help my spirit drink deeply of Your Word, Your Truth, Your Presence.

Do not let me go to other sources that will not refresh, that will not bring life as You do.  Drinking from those polluted sources will only make me sick, dull my spirit, and lead me to crave the things of the world and the flesh and the evil one.

Thank You for the refreshing, physically and spiritually life-giving water that You give.  I will seek it out, and be refreshed.  Amen

Job 29:1-25; Psalm 42:1

 

Aug 22 Help me stand strong

O Lord, I have never experienced the misery and suffering of Job, but his pain and the depth of his despair are clear to me.   So it seems to me that what his friend is saying is terribly insensitive.  It sounds as if he is trying to encourage Job to trust in his own righteousness.

The belief then was that trouble came from sin, so presumably Job brought this upon himself.  And if he confessed his sin to You that would be an easy fix.  But that is not the truth.

What I do like about what this friend says is that they all have faith in You, Lord and in Your power.   And that Job should “appeal to You and lay his cause before You.”  For no matter what the problem, You are the solution.  You always have the power and authority to act.

The friend spells out Your power in a way that encourages me.  “You perform wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”

 I get to see some of those wonders and miracles every day when I see the strength of majestic mountains or the wide open sky, or the beauty of a sunset, the flight of birds, the colors of a rainbow, the faces of my loved ones.  Or when I see and feel and smell the deep velvety red richness of my roses.  Or when I feel the coolness of the air and smell the freshness after a rain.  Or when I play or hear music that reaches a place in my spirit that fills me with elation.

 I too, believe in and trust in Your power, Your ability to do wonders and perform miracles.

 One thing Job asks: “I would not deny the words of the Holy One.”  Job says that even in unrelenting pain, he would have joy if he could still stand strong in his faith and not deny You.

I echo that prayer Father.  I ask that whatever comes into my life, You would take me before I shame or dishonor You.

Strengthen me to endure whatever You allow.  You know me best.  And if something comes that You know is stronger than I have it in me to bear, just take me to be with You.

Thank You Father.  Amen

Job 4:1-7:21

Aug 21 Blessed be Your name

Father, I have often wondered why You singled out Job and allowed so much suffering to come into one life.  How tragic, and yet how strong was his faith in You.  It stood up to all satan threw at him.  He did not curse You, but responded with those famous words: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; may the name of the lord be praised.”

What a testimony that he could still praise You in the face of all the tragedy and suffering!   I would not want Job’s misfortunes.  When much less has happened to me, I have heard my own thoughts turn to thinking it would have been better had I never been born.

It makes me wonder, have I made comfort and ease idols?

Father, my life is so blessed.  With so much.  And I take so much of it for granted.  Help me be more thankful to You for all You have given me.  Help me have an “attitude of gratitude” in my daily life.

Remind me to express my thanks to others, and my praise to You.  Gratitude and thankfulness are signs of my faith.  In this I do want to be more like Job.

There is a praise song by Matt Redman that expresses just this thought

Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

And blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Father, let that describe me.  Amen

Job 1:1-2:1

Aug 31 Fix my eyes on the eternal

O Father, what amazing pictures are created with Your very words.

I can imagine “storehouses of snow;” sparkling, frosty, frozen, piled so high they are mountains in themselves!

And I can picture You “laying the earth’s foundations”, “marking off its dimensions,” “shutting up the seas behind doors,” “fixing the limits of [the seas] and setting its doors and bars in place.”   The mighty waters obeying Your commands, stopping where You say to stop.  Remaining only where You have given them permission to be.

Only You can bind and loose the stars as You “bring the constellations forth in their seasons.”  And I can see it as You “tip over the water jars of heaven” to bring such needed moisture to the earth.  You know “when each mountain goat gives birth” and see each “doe bear her fawn.”

Only You could give the ostrich her great speed, and the horse its strength with “flowing mane.”  From Your mighty words I am reminded of Your astounding strength, creativity, power and inventiveness.  And over it all, You alone have authority!

It reminds me how much I want to be with You.  Not here on earth, but enjoying the fullness of Your presence in heaven.  With Paul, I “groan, longing to be clothed with my heavenly dwelling…”   Also with Paul, I “live by faith and not by sight… and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  What a wonderful day that will be!

And yet, my time on earth is not done.  And although there are difficulties here I would rather skip over to just be with You, You have given me assurance that my “light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”   So I “will not lose heart!”  I will “be renewed day by day” by Your Word, and upheld by Your promises.

Father, help me “fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  So I will live, physically, in this world, but have my heart and my attention focused on the world that is to come.  Father, show me how to do that.

Do not let me be overwhelmed or discouraged by what is temporary.  Renew me day by day as I come to You in prayer.  Help me enjoy Your amazing Creation through the eyes of the Creator.   And I will not lose heart.  Amen

Job 38:1-39:30; II Corinthians 4:13-5:10

 

Aug 28 As the deer…

O Father, I would never desire the suffering of Job.  But how You blessed him!

Job recalls what his life was like before the troubles came.  Like Job, I often feel “Your lamp shining on my head” giving me the light I need to see.  You allow me to “walk through the darkness” by Your light.  Many times, in dire circumstances, Yours was the only light I had.   And it helped me find my way.

And like Job, I feel “Your intimate friendship blessing my house.”  When You are with me, my path is blessed and You provide for all my needs.  My children are around me and Your security and peace are here.  I know there are calamities You have saved me from, because I see them in people’s lives everywhere.  Thank You.

Father, I desire that like Job, when people hear of me, “they would speak well of me and commend me.”  Job thought that this light and peace and favor would last throughout his life.  But that is not guaranteed.

Father, remind me to show You my appreciation for all You have done for me.  It’s only by Your grace and mercy I have been blessed.  And I pray I would always live in Your presence and enjoy Your blessing.

The Psalmist put it so picturesquely, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.”   Without the replenishing energy of water, a body will dehydrate due to physical activity, even just breathing.  And just as the body needs water, and cannot go for long without it, my spirit needs You.

Like the deer, I thirst for Your presence, Your friendship, Your blessing.   You are the resource I need, that brings life.  Not just occasionally, but repeatedly, and often.

The deer pants for “streams of water.”  Not stagnant pools, or brackish puddles; but fresh, flowing, living water.  Father, You are Living Water.  Help my spirit drink deeply of Your Word, Your Truth, Your Presence.

Do not let me go to other sources that will not refresh, that will not bring life as You do.  Drinking from those polluted sources will only make me sick, dull my spirit, and lead me to crave the things of the world and the flesh and the evil one.

Thank You for the refreshing, physically and spiritually life-giving water that You give.  I will seek it out, and be refreshed.  Amen

Job 29:1-25; Psalm 42:1

Aug 22 Help me stand strong

O Lord, I have never experienced the misery and suffering of Job, but his pain and the depth of his despair are clear to me.   So it seems to me that what his friend is saying is terribly insensitive.  It sounds as if he is trying to encourage Job to trust in his own righteousness.

The belief then was that trouble came from sin, so Job should confess his sin to You.  The presumption is that Job brought this upon himself, and there is an easy fix.  But that is not the truth.

What I do like about what this friend is saying is that they all have faith in You, Lord and in Your power.   And that Job should “appeal to You and lay his cause before You.”  For no matter what the problem, You are the solution.  You always have the power and authority to act.

The friend spells out Your power in a way that encourages me.  “You perform wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”

I get to see some of those wonders and miracles every day when I see the strength of majestic mountains or the wide open sky, or the beauty of a sunset, the flight of birds, the colors of a rainbow, the faces of my loved ones.  Or when I see and feel and smell the deep velvety red richness of my roses.  Or when I feel the coolness of the air and smell the freshness after a rain.  Or when I play or hear music that reaches a place in my spirit that fills me with elation.

I too, believe in and trust in Your power, Your ability to do wonders and perform miracles.

One thing Job asks: “I would not deny the words of the Holy One.”  Job says that even in unrelenting pain, he would have joy if he could still stand strong in his faith and not deny You.

I echo that prayer Father.  I ask that whatever comes into my life, You would take me before I shame or dishonor You.

Strengthen me to endure whatever You allow.  You know me best.  And if something comes that You know is stronger than I have it in me to bear, just take me to be with You.

Thank You Father.  Amen

Job 4:1-7:21

Aug 21 Blessed be Your Name

Father, I have often wondered why You singled out Job and allowed so much suffering to come into one life.  How tragic, and yet how strong was his faith in You.  It stood up to all satan threw at him.  He did not curse You, but responded with those famous words: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; may the name of the lord be praised.”

What a testimony that he could still praise You in the face of all the tragedy and suffering!   I would not want Job’s misfortunes.  When much less has happened to me, I have heard my own thoughts turn to thinking it would have been better had I never been born.

It makes me wonder, have I made comfort and ease idols?

Father, my life is so blessed.  With so much.  And I take so much of it for granted.  Help me be more thankful to You for all You have given me.  Help me have an “attitude of gratitude” in my daily life.

Remind me to express my thanks to others, and my praise to You.  Gratitude and thankfulness are signs of my faith.  In this I do want to be more like Job.

There is a praise song by Matt Redman that expresses just this thought:

Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

And blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Father, let that describe me.  Amen

Job 1:1-2:13

Dec 18 Rejoice…always

Father, Habakkuk sees the injustice of the wicked prospering and succeeding in their treachery.  He prays: “Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, Lord.  Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known…”

I echo his words, Father.  How I long for You to make such a display of Your power that none can deny You.  That everyone in the world would see what I see in You!  Then all would worship You as You deserve.

The prophet Habakkuk reminds me of Job in the final assessment of his condition.  Job said “Though He slay me, yet I will hope in Him.”  Amazing! 

Habakkuk was just as steadfast in his statement of faith.  He painted a dire picture of possible conditions, then restated that he would still “rejoice in the Lord” and “be joyful in God my Savior.”

Habakkuk proposed “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails  and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.”  This would have been a dire circumstance in deed. 

As I learned before, a fig tree takes longer to mature and produce fruit than most fruit trees.  So no buds means no figs!  This would mean that years of effort and care had come to nothing.

Also, as they are the last fruit to appear, at the end of the summer, they would have been the last hope of food to get them through winter.  Figs can be eaten fresh, or dried and pressed into cakes to store for later use.  No figs would mean no food stores to last till the next year’s crops came in.

With no grapes on the vine, there would be no wine!  Wine and bread were the staples of the diet.  And wine was also instrumental in celebrations.  So no celebrations!  Drying the grapes produced raisins that, again, could be eaten or pressed into cakes and stored.

Olives were a crop that had many uses.  Besides eating olives, the oil was pressed and used in soaps, cosmetics, cooking and medicines.  It was also used for fuel in their lamps.  So no olives meant literally, dark times indeed.

In Habakkuk’s time people depended on the crops they planted to provide food for their tables.  Without these crops, there would be none.  The only meat in their diet was from the sheep and cattle in the stalls.  Without them, famine and starvation were in their future.

This picture Habakkuk paints is one of complete failure of his basic needs for life.  Yet he is willing to accept it all and still rejoice in You!

Father, give me a steadfastness of faith like Habakkuk had.  Help me in all circumstances to “rejoice in the Lord”! 

Help me, when there seems no hope by earthly standards, to “be joyful in God my Savior.”  I praise You Father, and I stand in awe!  Amen

Habakkuk 3:1-19

Sept 1 Unworthy but loved and blessed

Finally Father, I am to the end of the book of Job where You literally spoke to him. And when he actually beheld You, after all his suffering, and all his questioning, all he could say was “I am unworthy…”

It is an emotional response from a man at the end of himself, beholding Your immensity and magnificence. But it is also a statement of fact, that is true for me and every one of Your creations.

I am unworthy. Unworthy of Your attention, of Your blessing, of Your love. And yet all that I enjoy in my life and in my relationship with You has nothing to do with my worthiness, or my ability to somehow earn anything from You. I am blessed and loved and cared for, because of who You are. Your love transcends my unworthiness. Your faithfulness trumps my undeserving state.

Job follows Your statements of greatness with, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” And I echo those words, Father.

I know that You can do ALL things. I have no doubt that You can heal all my infirmities. You can take unhealthy tissue and make it whole again. You can heal my relationships and make them god-honoring. You can guide my children into Your wisdom and give them a hunger and thirst for You.   You can bless them with godly mentors and success in all they put their hand to.   You can return the prodigal son to right relationship with You.

Father, I believe that there is nothing in this world, or above it, or below it, that can thwart Your plans. I trust that the plans You have for me and all my family are plans to prosper us and not to harm us, and to give us hope and a future. I know that You are faithful to complete the good work You began in each of us. Even if we have chosen to leave the path You have laid out for each of us, I trust that You will call us back.

You know best how to reach each of us. Father, open our ears to hear You, and open our hearts and spirits to desire to obey You.  Strengthen our spirits when our flesh is weak.

I praise You Father, that this power resides in You.   And that in Your love and grace, “You made [Job] prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before…You blessed the latter part of his life more than the first.”

Thank You for this example of Your goodness and Your blessing.   Thank You for this story of his faithfulness to You.

I pray that I too, at the end of my life, no matter what comes, I will be able to say “blessed be the name of the Lord”. Amen

Job 40:1-42:17

Aug 28 As the deer…

O Father, I would never desire the suffering of Job. But how You blessed him!

Job recalls what his life was like before the troubles came. Like Job, I too often feel “Your lamp shining on my head”; giving me the light I need to see. You allow me to “walk through the darkness” by Your light. Many times, in dire circumstances, Yours was the only light I had.  And it helped me find my way.

And like Job, I feel “Your intimate friendship blessing my house”. When You are with me, my path is blessed and You provide for all my needs. My children are around me and Your security and peace are here. I know there are calamities You have saved me from, because I see them in people’s lives everywhere. Thank You.

Father, I desire that like Job, when people hear of me, “they would speak well of me and commend me”. Job thought that this light and peace and favor would last throughout his life. But that is not guaranteed.

Father, in my life, remind me to show You my appreciation of all You have done for me. It is only by Your grace and mercy I have been blessed like this. And I pray I would always live in Your presence and enjoy Your blessing.

The Psalmist put it so picturesquely, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God.” Without the replenishing energy of water, a body will dehydrate due to physical activity, even just breathing. And just as the body needs water, and cannot go for long without it, my spirit needs You.

Like the deer, I thirst for Your presence, Your friendship, Your blessing.   You are the resource I need, that brings life. Not just occasionally, but repeatedly, and often.

The deer pants for “streams of water”. Not stagnant pools, or brackish puddles; but fresh, flowing, living water. Father, You are Living Water. Help my spirit drink deeply of Your Word, Your Truth, Your Wisdom.

Do not let me go to other sources that will not refresh, that will not bring life as You do. Drinking from those polluted sources will only make me sick, dull my spirit, and lead me to crave the things of the world and the flesh and the evil one.

Thank You for the refreshing, physically and spiritually life-giving water that You give. I will seek it out, and be refreshed. Amen

Job 29:1-25; Psalm 42:1

Aug 25 Last words

O Father, how I agree with the words of Job! “I know that my Redeemer lives! And that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.”

Father, I know, without a doubt, that You exist. That You are alive. That You are in control. And that one day all this earth will pass away, but You will still be. And because I am Yours, I will see You! And in so many ways, I truly yearn for that day.

But You bring my mind back to the present. And how I must live my days out on earth. Paul is wrapping up his first letter to the Corinthians. And much like me saying good-bye to my children, and trying to get every last thought of instruction and encouragement in, he includes a short paragraph that sums up his reminders for faithful living.

“Be on your guard”. Father, help me see everything I need to be aware of. Help me discern Your true wisdom, and reject the wisdom of the world and of the evil one. Open my eyes and my spirit to temptations that would lead me into sin. Do not let me be swept up into or be part of causing division in my church.

“Stand firm in the faith”. Lord, help me read and study Your Word so I understand what my faith is based on. Show me how to apply Your Word to my life today. And do not let me stray from it. Instead, help me live out what I believe. My actions, my attitudes, my words, all need to be in agreement because they show outwardly what I really believe inwardly. Help me enjoy the freedoms of my faith but also be aware and careful not to be a stumbling block to others.

“Be men of courage; be strong”. Father, strengthen me against the laxity of society.   Embolden me to use the spiritual gifts You have placed in me.   Help me to encourage others. When I need to speak out, fill my mouth as I open it. When I need to act, I will draw my strength from You.

“Do everything in love.” Finally, help me to be more loving. In all I do, show me what You would do, how You would do it. Before I speak, let me ask myself if I am speaking in love. Before I act, remind me to ask myself if I am acting in love.   So many emotions and motivations influence and drive me, Father.   Help me seek love as my primary motivating factor.

Help me live out my days in a way that honors You. And when You take me home, I will rejoice! Amen

Job 19:25-27; I Corinthians 16:13-14

Aug 24 Raised Indestructible

“Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow he does not endure.”

“Show me, O Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of years is as nothing before You. Each man’s life is but a breath.”

Lord, today is the anniversary of my grandmother’s death. Family funerals seem to abound, with my own father’s passing still fresh in my memory. A dear friend and mentor who battled cancer three times is now with You as well. And today I received my own personal “wake up call” diagnosis.

All around me is the evidence of how fragile life is. How fleeting it seems. How quickly it passes. I say all the time that the days sometimes drag on, but the years fly by.   Father, You know I thought the days of changing diapers and wiping faces would never end. Now in their thirties, I wonder how my children got to be so grown; how I got to be so old.

“But now Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in You.”  

I have confidence You are in control. And because of Your power and authority and sovereignty, no one, not any power or circumstance, can take away even a single minute of life that has been ordained by You. “Man’s days are determined; You have decreed the number of his months and have set the limits he cannot exceed.”

Father, I know there are many things I cannot grasp while here on earth. But I love the picture You give of how I will be raised.

When I plant a seed in the ground, it does not look like what will come up. A tomato seed does not look like a tomato or the plant it grows on. Neither does a pumpkin seed, or a carrot seed, or an apple seed, or a peach pit. So my earthly body is like the seed. And my heavenly body is like the plant that springs from it.

My earthly body is fragile, but I will be raised with You indestructible!   I live in weakness and with embarrassment, but I will return with You in power and with glory!

Because I look to You for my eternal future, there is no fear, because Yours is the victory! “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?”   Thanks be to You! You have given me victory through my Lord Jesus Christ!” Amen

Job 14:1-5; I Corinthians 15:29-58; Psalm 39:1-7

Aug 23 There is none like You

“Your wisdom is profound, Your power is vast. You move mountains …You shake the earth from its place…You speak to the sun and it does not shine, You seal off the light of the stars. You alone stretch out the heavens and tread on the waves of the sea. “

“You are the maker of the Bear and Orion (northern constellations), the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. You perform wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”  

photo NASA website M42 Wisps of the Orion Nebula(c) Jon Christensen

Father, these words of Job’s remind me of the immenseness of Your power. The vastness of who You are. The enormity of Your creation. It reminds me of how limited man is in his ability to comprehend all You are, all You have created and all You have done.

I look up at the stars, and I see tiny lights in the sky. On a clear night, I can see a lot of them. But ambient light from the city screens much of what is truly there.

When I was in Egypt, our bus was traveling at night on a lonely dark highway. We stopped in the middle of the Sinai and walked a ways into the desert to look up. You could hear the gasps as we all saw the magnificent display of stars as we had never seen them before!

We were drenched in darkness, but looking up at the sky saw thousands of tiny lights we had never been able to perceive, brilliantly sparkling from horizon to horizon. What an amazing display of Your grandeur!

I took a group of friends to a nearby observatory.   It housed a refracting telescope with a 20 inch diameter lens. The lens is seated in a 26 foot long tube, mounted on a 20 foot tall stand and pointed at the sky. We each took our turn climbing up to the viewing end of the telescope that was pointed at the Orion Nebula (the star at the tip of the sword held on Orion’s belt).

What I had seen with my eye to be a fuzzy point of light, exploded with clarity!  Brilliant light and clusters of stars in differing stages of birth and aging. Bright and discernible stars now filled my view.

What I had seen as one pinpoint in a haze was actually a nursery where new stars were being born! Within the cloud I could see several distinct, individual stars and cloud clusters. How amazing! All this, and more, You stretched out with Your hand.

The very limits of human perception cannot even begin to see, much less understand Your immensity. Your imagination and creativity are magnificent and immeasurable. There is none like You. Amen

Job 9:1-22

Aug 22 Help me stand strong

O Lord, I have never experienced the misery and suffering of Job, but his pain and the depth of his despair are clear to me.   So it seems to me that what his friend is saying is terribly insensitive.  It sounds as if he is trying to encourage Job to trust in his own righteousness.

The belief then was that trouble came from sin, so Job should confess his sin to You.  The presumption is that Job brought this upon himself, and there is an easy fix.  But that is not the truth.

What I do like about what this friend is saying is that they all have faith in You, Lord and in Your power.   And that Job should “appeal to You and lay his cause before You.”  For no matter what the problem, You are the solution.  You always have the power and authority to act.

The friend spells out Your power in a way that encourages me.  “You perform wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”

I get to see some of those wonders and miracles every day when I see the strength of majestic mountains or the wide open sky, or the beauty of a sunset, the flight of birds, the colors of a rainbow, the faces of my loved ones.  Or when I see and feel and smell the deep velvety red richness of my roses.  Or when I feel the coolness of the air and smell the freshness after a rain.  Or when I play or hear music that reaches a place in my spirit that fills me with elation.

I too, believe in and trust in Your power, Your ability to do wonders and perform miracles.

One thing Job asks: “I would not deny the words of the Holy One”.  Job says that even in unrelenting pain, he would have joy if he could still stand strong in his faith and not deny You.

I echo that prayer Father.  I ask that whatever comes into my life, You would take me before I shame or dishonor You.

Strengthen me to endure whatever You allow.  You know me best.  And if something that You know is stronger than I have it in me to bear, just take me to be with You.

Thank You Father.  Amen

Job 4:1-7:21

 

Aug 21 Blessed be Your name

Father, I have often wondered why You singled out Job and allowed so much suffering to come into one life. How tragic, and yet how strong his faith in You, that it stood up to all satan threw at him. He did not curse You, but said those famous words, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; may the name of the lord be praised.”

I would not want Job’s misfortunes. When much less has happened to me, I have heard my own thoughts turn to thinking it would have been better had I never been born. Easier, certainly. But what a testimony that he could still praise You in the face of all the tragedy and suffering! It makes me wonder, have I made comfort and ease idols?

Father, my life is so blessed. With so much. And I take so much of it for granted. Help me be more thankful to You for all You have given me. Help me have an “attitude of gratitude” in my daily life. Remind me to express my thanks to others, and my praise to You. Gratitude and thankfulness are signs of my faith. In this I do want to be more like Job.

There is a praise song by Matt Redman that expresses just this thought:

Blessed be Your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

And blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Father, let that describe me. Amen

Job 1:1-3:26

Dec 18 Rejoice…always

Father, Habakkuk sees the injustice of the wicked prospering and succeeding in their treachery. He prays: “Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known…”. I would echo his words, Father. How I long for You to make such a display of Your power that none can deny You. That everyone in the world would see what I see in You! Then all would worship You as You deserve.

This prophet Habakkuk reminds me of Job in the final assessment of his condition. Job said “Though He slay me, yet I will hope in Him”. Amazing! Habakkuk was just as steadfast in his statement of faith. He painted a dire picture of possible conditions, then restated that he would still “rejoice in the Lord” and “be joyful in God my Savior”.

Looking at his picture of possibility, he included “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails  and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.” This would have been a dire circumstance in deed. 

As I learned before, a fig tree takes longer to mature and produce fruit than most fruit trees. So no buds means no figs! This would mean that years of effort and care had come to nothing. Also, as they are the last fruit to appear, at the end of the summer, they would have been the last hope of food to get them through winter. Figs can be eaten fresh, or dried and pressed into cakes to store for later use. No figs would mean no food stores to last till the next year’s crops came in.

With no grapes on the vine, there would be no wine! Wine and bread were the staples of the diet. And wine was also instrumental in celebrations. So no celebrations! Drying the grapes produced raisins that, again, could be eaten or pressed into cakes and stored.

Olives were a crop that had many uses. Besides eating olives, the oil was pressed and used in soaps, cosmetics, cooking and medicines. It was also used for fuel in their lamps. So no olives meant literally, dark times indeed.

In Habakkuk’s time people depended on the crops they planted to provide food for their tables. Without these crops, there would simply be no food. The only meat in their diet was from the sheep and cattle in the stalls. Without them, famine and starvation were in their future.

This picture Habakkuk paints is one of complete failure of his basic needs for life. Yet he is willing to accept it all and still rejoice in You! It would be as I see some families in the news today who lose everything to a flood or storm.   Father, give me a steadfastness of faith like Habakkuk had. Help me in all circumstances to “rejoice in the Lord”! Help me, when there seems no hope by earthly standards, to “be joyful in God my Savior”. I praise You Father, and I stand in awe! Amen

Habakkuk 3:1-19

Sept 1 Unworthy but loved and blessed

Finally Father, I am to the end of the book of Job where You literally spoke to him. And when he actually beheld You, after all his suffering, and all his questioning, all he could say was “I am unworthy…”

It is an emotional response from a man at the end of himself, beholding Your immensity and magnificence. But it is also a statement of fact, that is true for me and every one of Your creations. I am unworthy. Unworthy of Your attention, of Your blessing, of Your love. And yet all that I enjoy in my life and in my relationship with You has nothing to do with my worthiness, or my ability to somehow earn anything from You. I am blessed and loved and cared for, because of who You are. Your love transcends my unworthiness. Your faithfulness trumps my undeserving state.

Job follows Your statements of greatness with, “I know that You can do all things; no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” And I echo those words, Father.

I know that You can do ALL things. I have no doubt that You can heal all my infirmities. You can take unhealthy tissue and make it whole again. You can heal my relationships and make them god-honoring. You can guide my children into Your wisdom and give them a hunger and thirst for You.   You can bless them with godly mentors and success in all they put their hand to.   You can return the prodigal son to right relationship with You.

Father, I believe that there is nothing in this world, or above it, or below it, that can thwart Your plans. I trust that the plans You have for me and all my family are plans to prosper us and not to harm us, and to give us hope and a future. I know that You are faithful to complete the good work You began in each of us. Even if we have chosen to leave the path You have laid out for each of us, I trust that You will call us back. You know best how to reach each of us. Father, open our ears to hear You, and open our hearts and spirits to desire to obey You.  Strengthen our spirits when our flesh is weak.

I praise You Father, that this power resides in You.   And that in Your love and grace, “You made [Job] prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before…You blessed the latter part of his life more than the first.” Thank You for this example of Your goodness and Your blessing.   Thank You for this story of his faithfulness to You. I pray that I too, at the end of my life, no matter what comes, I will be able to say “blessed be the name of the Lord”. Amen

Job 40:1-42:17