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 piles 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 37:1-39:30; II Corinthians 4:13-5: 10

 

Mar 8 Only You

Thank You for having mercy on me O Lord. Thank You for withholding from me the penalty that my sins deserve. I praise You that Your mercies are new every morning; that You are not like a human, who would reach a limit of forgiveness or loving kindness.

I am so fortunate that I am not dependent on my own goodness or ability to ‘earn’ any kind of favor from You, but that I am at the mercy of Your great, unfailing love and boundless compassion.

Because of this, Lord, You blot out my transgressions, wash away my iniquity and cleanse me from all my sin. And because Your love for me is so great, You only show me what I can bear at any given time. Your Holy Spirit convicts my heart, but does not condemn me.

I will be cleansed only when You cleanse me. Only You have this power.   You can wash me whiter than the pure, sparkling snow.

You do not desire legalism or jumping through hoops to earn forgiveness; but desire my own recognition of my sin, and my true repentance.

Father, I ask You to do a work in me and purify my heart. Renew a spirit in me that will not give way to these sins again.  That way, when I do sin, it will break my heart and make me aware immediately, so I can turn from it and return to You. Return the joy of Your salvation to me Lord, and all that it means.

I am ever grateful for Your forgiveness, for Your cleansing, so I can again be in Your presence. I open my mouth and declare that all blessing and honor are due You. To You I give all glory, all praise, all thanks. Yours is the power and strength forever. Amen

Psalm 51:1-19; Revelation 7:12

Dec 11 You are the One

Father, so many times You sent messages to the people and leaders of Israel to return to You, and they did not. You sent death in famine, drought, blight, locusts, plagues, and military defeats as a way to get their attention. Father, when challenges and difficulties come to me, I will come to You. You are the One who can help and heal me. You are the One who can show me wisdom and how to cope with whatever You allow into my life.

Lord, when it is so easy to fret and worry, and grumble and complain to friends, and look to the world for answers, remind me that the source of all I need is You! Calm my heart when I am anxious. Shut my mouth when I whine. Turn me around when I go toward the world’s solutions. I will pour out my heart to You. I will seek wisdom in Your Word. I will not just talk during prayer, but will listen, so I can hear what You have to say to me. I will open my eyes and ears to discern when You are showing and teaching me; and where You are leading me. I will let go of my own way and humble myself to obey You.

For it is “You who forms the mountains, who creates the wind,  and who reveals Your thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth—    the Lord God Almighty is Your Name.” You are mine, and I belong to You.  You redeem me with Your love, renew me with Your presence, restore me with Your touch. Amen

Amos 4:1-13

Sept 22 Hope in the darkness

O Father, these are some of the verses that have come to me in the darkest times. Times when I truly thought there was no hope. Times when I was at the end of all I could think to do to save myself from what appeared to be dire and dark circumstances that I believed held no happy ending.

These words are spoken by Your prophet Isaiah who is telling how it will be when the judgment of Israel is over. “You are the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth! You will not grow tired or weary…You give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak…those who hope in You will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.”

What hope that gave me Father – because I was weary and weak. But because I know You as my Savior, I believed that these verses were true of me. It’s like You were speaking right into my heart then, and since then. You were promising to give me Your strength and power. You promised to renew my strength. When I felt like I could not take one more step, You empowered me to “walk and not grow faint”.

You told me “Do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my Righteous Right Hand.” And even more than that, You sang it to me. I could hear a melody in Your words. It became a theme that I could sing to myself over and over – Your words of encouragement and empowerment. I still sing them today.

Thank You Father, that Your Word, written down so long ago, has power and influence and still speaks right now. And not just to me, but to any and all who will seek You there.

And these words of Paul – I love them and have prayed them over and over again for myself, my family, and my loved ones. I pray them now, again Father, for everyone reading this prayer. “I give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know [1] the hope to which He has called you, [2] the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people [that’s us], and [3] His incomparably great power for us who believe.”

Father, speak these words of comfort and empowerment to all who need to hear them from You.   When the evil one whispers ‘you’ve failed again, there’s no hope’, Let them know what it means to “not fear” and “not be dismayed”.   Give us victory! Amen

Isaiah 40:1-41:16; Ephesians 1:1-23