Light

O Lord, you are my lamp. The Lord lights up my darkness. ~ 2 Samuel 22:29 (NLT)

I have come as a light into the world so that everyone who believes in me won’t live in darkness. ~ John 12:46 (CEB)

O Lord,

THANKS: Thank you for lighting up the path in front of me.

REGRETS: I wish you would light everything up so that I could see more than my surroundings. I doubt that I'd live differently if I knew more. But I'm overly curious about things which are none of my business.

INTERCESSION: I want to trust you and the light that you have given to me. It is more than adequate. Save me from letting my curiosity, rather than your light, define my life.

PURPOSE: I'm going to enjoy living in the light. For I believe in you.

Amen.

Guilt and Innocence

The 14th Sunday after Pentecost

No human is innocent in the sight of God.
Not once in a thousand times could we win our case if we took him to court. ~ Job 9:2-3 (CEV)

Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. ~ 1 John 3:19-20 (NLT)

God, 

THANKS: Thank you for treating us as innocent, even if we really are guilty and struggle with real guilt feelings. But the fact is that the only thing that counts is the innocence of Christ that has been graciously shared with us. 

REGRETS: I regret that I'm not always confident in what Christ has done. I mean, I am in my head. But then I do things to try and prove to myself and others just how innocent I am on my own. I'm eager to justify my words and my actions. 

INTERCESSION: Please grant me a fresh sense of wonder regarding all that Christ Jesus has done for us -- for me. 

PURPOSE: I'm going to live as someone who belongs to his truth. 

Amen.

Remember

Remember his miracles and all his wonders and his fair decisions. ~ Psalm 105:5 (CEV)

Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are. ~ 1 John 3:1a (CEV)

Heavenly Father, thank you for all that you have done for us -- the incredible acts that we experience as miracles -- your justice - your fatherly love that makes us your children. I regret that I take so much of that for granted. I don't think about your many gifts -- even though I think often of new things I'd like you to do for me. So, today the only thing I'm going to ask of you is that you remind me often of your love. I'm going to live as your well loved child. Amen.

Comfort

The Lord says, “I have brought all this horrible trouble on these people. But now I will give them all the good things I have promised them. ~ Jeremiah 32:42 (NIRV)

Our hope for you remains firm. We know that you suffer just as we do. In the same way, God comforts you just as he comforts us. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:7 (NIRV)

Compassionate God, you understand suffering better than we. And you could have avoided it. But you put yourself right into the middle of it through your Son, Christ Jesus, who voluntarily suffered for us. Sometimes I'm inclined to think of my suffering as unique. I have my own personal pity party. Help me to focus instead on the comfort that you are extending -- the healing that you are bringing -- the promises that you are fulfilling. I'm not going to let suffering get me down. Amen.