The Indescribable Joy of Dwelling in Your Presence

One thing I ask from the LORD,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
    and to seek him in his temple.

—Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

O LORD My God,

May the only thing I seek be the indescribable joy of dwelling in Your Presence—of gazing on Your beauty, in an abiding, unbroken, intimate relationship with You!

David wrote of his desire to make Your house his home—knowing that Your house was where Your presence could be found, and that in Your presence he would find everything that He needed.

And so it is true for me, that in Your Presence I can experience provision for all my needs, protection from all my enemies, comfort for all my sorrows, wisdom to discern the truth of Your Word, a knowledge beyond my intellect, the power, strength and courage to do Your will, and a peace that surpasses my own understanding.

Help me to be cognizant of Your abiding Presence with me at all times, so that I can personally experience all the grace and truth of the abundant life that You so freely offer me through Your Son, Jesus.

May the only thing I seek be the indescribable joy of dwelling in Your Presence—of gazing on Your beauty, in an abiding, unbroken, intimate relationship with You!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Sustained with Joy, Filled with Life

If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy,
    I would have died in my misery.

I will never forget your commandments,
    for by them you give me life.

—Psalm 119:92-93 (NLT)

Father God,

Thank You for the sustaining joy and the abundant life that You give to those who listen to Your instructions—to those who are careful to remember and to obey Your commandments!

Too much of my life I wandered from Your instructions—reaping the consequences of my disobedience—until finally I learned that each of Your instructions are meant to benefit me, not to harm me or hold me back from life in any way.

When I learned to follow Your instructions and ordered my steps by Your commandments, trouble still came my way—but misery could not take away my life, for You sustained me with joy!

Let me never forget Your commands, for by them You give me abundant life—life that is rich and deep and full and overflowing, so that I can be a blessing to those around me.

Thank You for the sustaining joy and the abundant life that You give to those who listen to Your instructions—to those who are careful to remember and to obey Your commandments!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Listening to the Truth We Have Heard

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it.

—Hebrews 2:1 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Don’t allow me to drift away from the Truth—but cause me to listen very carefully to the Truth that You speak into my life by Your Word and by the witness of Your Spirit within me.

Help me to hold onto the precious gift of Truth that I have been given—Truth which continues to be revealed to me in proportion to my willingness and obedience to continue to read and study Your Word.

Help me to be careful to remember the Truth I have heard—by regularly meditating upon it—so that I would be ready to apply Your Truth to every situation or circumstance in which I find myself, as I mix my faith with Your Truth.

Help me to recognize and guard against the weakness of my mind.  For Your Truth is so quick to drain from my heart when I allow the enemy to speak lies into my thoughts, or entertain the condemnation that he spews, as he tries to move me from the Truth I find in You.

Don’t allow me to drift away from the Truth—but cause me to listen very carefully to the Truth that You speak into my life by Your Word and by the witness of Your Spirit within me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.