Listen to God

If you had listened all along to what I told you, your life would have flowed full like a river, blessings rolling in like waves from the sea. ~ Isaiah 48:18 (MSG)

God’s kingdom... is about pleasing God, about living in peace, and about true happiness. All this comes from the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by people. ~ Romans 14:17 (part)-18 (CEV)

God,

THANKS: I'm so grateful that you send peace and happiness rolling our way like the waves of the ocean -- one after another -- constant -- consistent. We are so blessed.

REGRETS: Yet, in spite of all that is given to us, I am not so different from the people being chastised in the book of Isaiah. I don't always listen to what God wants me to do. I'm often more interested in what I feel like doing.

INTERCESSION: Please continue to develop my sensitivity to your message and the voice of your Holy Spirit. 

PURPOSE: From now on I'm going to live out the kingdom of God and all that it is about.

Amen.

Caring

Am I supposed to take care of my brother? ~ Genesis 4:9b (GNB)

Care about them as much as you care about yourselves. ~ Philippians 2:4 (CEV)

Lord, because you care for us you have called us to care for each other. This is difficult for me because I'm pretty self-focused and I live in a culture which honors self-ambition. Free me from myself and the cultural influence. Fill me with Jesus so that caring about others is natural and without extra thought. Amen.

Mercy and comfort

When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. ~ Psalm 142:3a (NLT)

Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Father is a merciful God, who always gives us comfort. He comforts us when we are in trouble, so that we can share that same comfort with others in trouble. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (CEV)

Praise be to you, God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

THANKS: I feel like I am invisible to people when I start to have trouble. But you do not turn away. You understand when I'm overwhelmed and you offer comfort to me.

REGRETS: I'm not as smart as some of the people in the Bible who quickly embrace your comfort. Sometimes when I'm in trouble I'm so confused that I don't even see you there helping me. Sorry for ignoring you. But I know that you understand -- even better than I.

INTERCESSION: Please give me the kind of eyesight I need in order to be able to see that you are present and with me in troubling times. Save me from discouragement.

PURPOSE: I'm not only going to receive your comfort but I am going to look for ways to pass that comfort on to other people in their difficult times.

Amen.

Scandal

You set a table for me right in front of my enemies. You bathe my head in oil; my cup is so full it spills over! ~ Psalm 23:5 (CEB)

Jesus was in Bethany. He was at the table in the home of Simon, who had a skin disease. A woman came with a special sealed jar. It contained very expensive perfume made out of pure nard. She broke the jar open and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head.

Some of the people there became angry. They said to one another, “Why waste this perfume?...

“Leave her alone,” Jesus said. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ~ Mark 14:3-4, 6 (NIRV)

Indeed, Lord Jesus, the festive table was set for you as your enemies looked on. They couldn't believe that you might be so anointed -- and by a woman! What a scandal! I confess that I worry too much over the appearance of scandal. I want to associate with good and proper people because that makes me look good and proper. But I need to get beyond what is culturally accepted. I need you to make me more like Jesus -- willing to eat and fellowship with "unclean" diseased people -- people everyone else considers lower caste. I desire to become extravagant in my worship of you. I'm going to move forward assuming that you will change me into such a person -- a person who is made in your image. Amen.