Monday, February 27, 2017

Hearing, Trusting, Giving



Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
    for I am trusting you.
Show me where to walk,
    for I give myself to you.

—Psalm 143:8 (NLT)


O LORD of Love That Never Fails,


With each new morning, help me to listen and hear how You love me, and respond to Your love—by offering my love in return, by giving myself to You.


Too often, I have rushed into a new day—self-centeredly pursuing my own plans and ideas—without first spending time to listen for what You would say to me, to hear of Your unfailingly love for me.

Help me not to forget how critical it is that I open the Bible—Your love story written to me—and allow You to speak to me, by Your Holy Spirit, as I read—and You reveal—the Truth that is waiting there for me.

As I study Your Word each morning, help me to hear the message of Your unfailing loving-kindness for me and teach me of the goodness of Your ways—so that I will be drawn into an ever-closer relationship with You and my faith will be made increasingly stronger.

As I come before You in prayer, help me submit my will to Yours alone and allow You to show me the ways that I should go.

Help me to follow the best path for me—where I can experience Your strength, Your plan, Your provision, Your protection, Your peace, Your joy, but most of all Your love for me, and through me to all those around me.


With each new morning, help me to listen and hear how You love me, and respond to Your love—by offering my love in return, by giving myself to You.


In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Friday, February 24, 2017

Great And Holy Shepherd



He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
    He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
    He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

—Isaiah 40:11 (NLT)


O LORD, My Shepherd,


Thank You for the intimate and loving relationship with You that is ours to enjoy, when we trust You to be our shepherd—to look after us in every way, just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep.


Help us always to trust You as the Great Shepherd—the One who will see to it that His flock is fed in every way, with food and water for their bodies and Your Word and Your Spirit for their souls, so that they will not lack any good thing.

Help us to see how You gather in Your lambs—those most dependent on You for protection and provision—with Your mighty, yet gentle and loving arms, and how You carry them close to Your heart, never letting them slip from Your grasp.

Help us to believe that You gently and compassionately lead those who are with young—carefully showing them the way they should go and guiding them and empowering them for every step of their journey—as they put their trust in Your strength, wisdom and love.


Thank You for the intimate and loving relationship with You that is ours to enjoy, when we trust You to be our shepherd—to look after us in every way, just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep.


In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Today's prayer is dedicated with love to Meredith and Ashley.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

To Choose To Rejoice And Be Glad



This is the day the LORD has made.
    We will rejoice and be glad in it.

—Psalm 118:24 (NLT)


One and Only Creator God,


You have made this day!  So, I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!


Before You created everything there is—before You placed it all in order and set it all in motion—You knew this day would come, You knew the good plans You had for me today!

Today, I get to choose whether to embrace Your plans with joy and gladness, or to resist Your plans—as if to think that I would know better than You what is best for me—and only reap a harvest of trouble and hardship for my efforts.

So, help me open my eyes to all that You have done for me, to rejoice, and gladly and obediently submit my will to Your sovereign plans for me.  Help me to see that You have called me and saved me for such a time as this. 

Grant me the faith to believe that You have already arranged to supply me with everything that I need to accomplish Your will for me today and that, in doing so, You have made it possible for me to live this day with deep peace and enduring joy!


You have made this day!  So, I choose to rejoice and be glad in it!


In the name of Jesus, Amen.