Keeper Of My Tears

You keep track of all my sorrows.
    You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
    You have recorded each one in your book.

--Psalm 56:8 (NLT)

Compassionate Lord,

Down all the paths of sorrow, where my wanderings sometimes lead, remind me that you see each tear and know my every need.

When I find myself in a place of great sorrow, and I start to waver between faith and fear, help me to remember that You see me there and understand and share that sorrow with me.

You know the end of every problem that I face, but still feel the hurt of every pain that I feel along the way. Nothing that happens to me goes unnoticed, unrecorded or unremembered by You, for You are a just God.

Help me to rest in the reassurance that You intimately know and care about every detail of my life and are actively at work through every challenge that I face.

Down all the paths of sorrow, where my wanderings sometimes lead, remind me that you see each tear and know my every need.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Wonders In Every Heartbeat

O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
    Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
    You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
    I would never come to the end of them.

--Psalm 40:5 (NLT)

O Lord my God,

I stand amazed at just how good You have been to me.

May my "looking back at my past" only be in remembrance of all the wondrous things that You have done for me, in celebration of Your faithfulness and love.

When I think of how involved You are in even the smallest of details of my life, I am overwhelmed…I cannot take it in. There is not one thing that happens to me that You don’t see—not one thing that happens that You don't already have  a plan to bring good from it for me!  To number Your plans would be impossible.

Help me to see more clearly the wonders that You perform out of intimate love for me, in every heartbeat of every day.  Remind me of those wonders that You have performed, especially in those times when the strength of my faith is fading.

There is truly none like You, Lord.  I could tell of Your wonderful deeds forever, and never reach the end of the telling. Still, prompt me to tell of them in order to bring glory, honor and praise to You.

I stand amazed at just how good You have been to me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Out Of The Pit

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.

--Psalm 40: 1-3 (NLT)

Merciful God,

Help me to remember that if I will patiently wait for You to help me in my times of distress, You will faithfully come to my rescue and cause many to put their trust in You, as they see how You mercifully delivered me from my troubles.

I don’t want to be like the man who, falling into quicksand, panics, thrashes and flails only making his situation worse.  When I find myself in a pit of despair, I want to look confidently towards You for my salvation.

So, I will purpose to quietly wait for You, trusting You to hear the cry of my heart and pull me from the mud and mire of my despair, to set my feet once again on solid ground, to steady me as I move forward with You, and to put a new song of praise in my heart for You, so that everyone around me will know the great things that You have done for me.

Help me to remember that if I will patiently wait for You to help me in my times of distress, You will faithfully come to my rescue and cause many to put their trust in You, as they see how You mercifully delivered me from my troubles.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

How Brief My Time

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.”

--Psalm 39:4-5 (NLT)

Infinite Lord,

I want to be careful to be actively involved in what You are doing during the short time that I have here on earth, so that my life, while little more than a whisper, will shout to Your glory, honor and praise!

Help me to be mindful of how I use the time that has been given to me and not allow apathy, complacency, or my fear—which is lack of trust in You—to keep me from moving forward with the things that You have given me to do.

And, at the same time, help me to remember to wait for You, so that everything that I do is done with total dependence on You—since I know I can accomplish no good thing apart from You.

Help me to live each moment of every day of my life, unencumbered by my past failures or the uncertainty of the future. Help me to live at peace, and with courage and wisdom, make a difference here in this world, through Your power at work in me.

I want to be careful to be actively involved in what You are doing during the short time that I have here on earth, so that my life, while little more than a whisper, will shout to Your glory, honor and praise!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.