We have no excuse, O Lord who knows our hearts. You have revealed yourself to us in Jesus Christ and made that revelation available in Scripture. You have provided the way back to yourself. You freely give your Spirit to enable us in our faith. We can pray to you at any time for our needs. You have left nothing to chance, with every purpose fulfilled, and every plan brought to fruition. Continue reading “We have no excuse”
Good to have friends
Father, you bless us with friends and neighbors, with a network of people in our lives, who enrich us and provide us with roots. Even more, you give us a family in the faith who keep us pointed toward you and toward eternity and provide us with love and support and discipline. Continue reading “Good to have friends”
What a perfect pairing!
Your thoughts and plans, O Lord, are far above the human mind, for they are superior in quality, positive in nature, infallible in their outcome, and consistent as a whole. Let me think your thoughts! Make me a part of your plans! Impress upon me the words of your will in Scripture! Continue reading “What a perfect pairing!”
When everything seems up in the air
Your will, heavenly Father, is good and holy and pleasant and brings great blessing to all who submit to it. What a joy to know and do your bidding!
Forgive my shortcomings, cleanse me from my failures, let my sins be washed by the blood of your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Perfect me by your grace, make my obedience complete in Christ, strengthen every good resolve and make me able for every good work by your Spirit. Continue reading “When everything seems up in the air”
Your goodness is my goad
Teach me, O God, what it means to be a true and living sacrifice to you. Let me see in Jesus that complete offering of life to your will. I want to follow his example. Help me to be willing to go wherever that decision of sacrifice leads.
Your tender mercies are my motivation. Your love and kindness lead me to this spiritual service. Your goodness is my goad. Let your grace always occupy the space of my spiritual vision. Continue reading “Your goodness is my goad”
Leap over our impossibilities
Father, when our minds are blank, and our hearts are empty, when our souls are barren, and our energies are exhausted, you are there to fill us in every way, in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We seek you, O God, creator and sustainer of the living!
We have nothing, and we come to you asking.
Give us all we need, Lord who speaks a word and makes things happen. Continue reading “Leap over our impossibilities”
The choice to be glad
Heavenly Father, we thank you for time to be with family and to enjoy the good things of life. We ask you to bless those who have neither, those who are alone on this day, in prison, in hospital, in travels, in care homes, at service, or living alone. Bless them through us, that we might serve them in some way. Continue reading “The choice to be glad”
The true weight of all things
God who means every word, let us take seriously your revelation as the restoration of our lives to you and as the way in which we should go. Let us not ignore the grave warnings. Help us live soberly in this world.
Make sober reflection a part of our spiritual makeup as we reject the stupid and useless levities of the world. Keep us from seeking out laughter and emotion that divert us from the spiritual realities before us. Continue reading “The true weight of all things”
Mixed with Compassion
Your judgments are invariably right,
O God who knows, God who is light;
By righteousness the earth is blessed,
The saints encouraged, evil men suppressed;
Save me from smallness that always finds fault,
To critical words of the tongue bring a halt;
But help me judge correctly all things,
With justice that only your Word brings,
Mixed with compassion, that all confess
The God I know, who seeks to bless.
No eye has seen you
No eye has seen you, God invisible,
The God of perfect law and miracle;
You show yourself in many ways —
All speak as one, but holding the keys
To perfect knowledge of you is Christ;
He is the Son, in him the last
And final Word, the unfolded plan,
The only path for broken man. Continue reading “No eye has seen you”