The Blessing of Our Loving and Gracious LORD

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

—Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)

Loving and Gracious LORD,

Let me fully walk in the favor of Your blessings of protection, provision, pardon, and peace, each and every day!

Thank You for making Your blessing available to any person who opens his or her heart to receive it—so that we can all live in contentment and joy, as we are kept safe in every way, within that blessing.

Thank You for the way You make Your face to shine upon us, to smile on us, to enlighten us and give us comfort and life—just as the sun that You hung in space shines upon the earth and warms it to bring it life.

Thank You for lifting up Your countenance upon us in loving adoration—like a gentle and caring father who gazes upon his children with such amazing love that they are always at peace, assured of the special favor and unreserved acceptance that is theirs in Him.

Thank You that within Your blessing I am protected and provided for—by the power of the Creator of all things; I am pardoned for all of my sin—by the gracious sacrifice of my Lord Jesus; and I have peace—because my Comforter, the Spirit of peace, lives within me.

Let me fully walk in the favor of Your blessings of protection, provision, pardon, and peace, each and every day!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

To Worship Only You

The idols of the nations are merely things of silver and gold,
    shaped by human hands.

They have mouths but cannot speak,
    and eyes but cannot see.

They have ears but cannot hear,
    and noses but cannot smell.

And those who make idols are just like them,
    as are all who trust in them.

—Psalm 135:15-18 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Save me from worshiping anything—or anyone—but You.

Keep me from counting on anything made with human hands—as if those things could save me.

Let me instead count on You—the One who created all there is by the power of Your Word.

Keep me from worshiping anything that cannot speak to me—that cannot reveal the Truth.

Let me instead worship only You—and listen to hear You speaking to me through Your Word and Your Spirit, in every moment of every day.

Keep me from looking to anything that cannot see and understand what I am going through.

Let me instead look to You—the One who is personally and intimately acquainted with every trial I face.

Keep me from crying out to something that cannot hear or help.

Let me instead cry out to You—the One who patiently and compassionately waits to hear my cry for help and is ready and able to supply all my needs.

Keep me from trusting in anything that cannot sniff out trouble coming my way.

Let me instead trust You—to smell the stench of evil coming and warn me by Your Spirit, so I can avoid the disaster of succumbing to its temptations.

Keep me from becoming like those things I am tempted to put in front of You—powerless and unable to speak, see and hear the truth, and unable to smell trouble coming and avoid it.

Let me instead be empowered by You—to become more like Your Son, Jesus.

Keep me from merely making You first among the many objects of my worship.

Let me instead worship You—and You alone.

Save me from worshiping anything—or anyone—but You.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Demonstrating My Thankfulness, By My Obedience

As I learn your righteous regulations,
    I will thank you by living as I should!
I will obey your decrees.
    Please don’t give up on me!

—Psalm 119:7-8 (NLT)

Merciful and Gracious LORD,

Please don’t give up on me!  Don’t leave me to my own limited understanding and imperfect wisdom—but continue in Your unrelenting, passionate, pursuit of my heart, as You patiently guide me into all Truth.

Let the commandments of Your Word permeate my heart, as I listen for Your Spirit to reveal how every commandment plays a part in protecting, providing for, and preserving my life—according to Your perfect plans and purposes.

By that same Spirit within me, strengthen me to live as I should—to fully understand and apply Your righteous regulations to my life—that I might live the abundant life that is available to those who choose to follow after Truth.

And help me to be grateful—not only in my thoughts and words, but even more so in the way I live my life—so that my entire life might become a continuous offering of thanksgiving and praise to You!

Please don’t give up on me!  Don’t leave me to my own limited understanding and imperfect wisdom—but continue in Your unrelenting, passionate, pursuit of my heart, as You patiently guide me into all Truth.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.