Even though childhood and youth may be “vanity”, during these wonderful years when their smiles melt our hearts and their innocence charms us, prepare their hearts to serve You and to trust You in all things.
Haughty, proud…not me!
Father, in your economy, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day. We know that life is very short (described as a vapor) and eternity is forever but these tiny moments exert more leverage than we sometimes acknowledge. The moments of our lives shape our eternity. That is leverage! Help us be loving and obedient, constantly, in the midst of both our triumphs and our losses.
When is an “oath” o.k…hardly ever!
Jesus, You have taught us that the same mouth should not praise You and curse men. We know that swearing an oath is a mistake unless we are certain we can unerringly perform that oath. But swearing has become a way of life in these times. We hear people say “By God, I will do such and such” (it pains me to even quote such persons). You teach us that this is an oath from an empty headed, hard hearted person in terms of their walk with You.
What does it mean to strain at a gnat and swallow a camel?
Jesus, these verses remind us of the phrase “you strain at a gnat and swallow a camel” wherein we focus on obedience in some small matter, in almost a compulsive way, believing that such obedience earns us points with You.
The mind of Christ in me? No way…right?
Father, we can say boldly that we have access to the mind of Christ and that You teach us all things we must know, things that exceed the wisdom of man. We look to our teachers for wisdom and you tell us that Your testimony to us exceeds that of our teachers and the “ancients”, those who lived before You. How can we not look to Your Holy Word for guidance, every day? For conveying such love toward us, we are eternally grateful.
The innocence of a child…can it be sustained?
Even though childhood and youth may be “vanity”, during these wonderful years when their smiles melt our hearts and their innocence charms us, prepare their hearts to serve You and to trust You in all things.
I can’t possibly forgive that fool!
Jesus, it is so hard to not be angry, at times. Here it seems that you are reminding us that Christians shall be known by their love. You are instructing us in a new way, beyond the 6th commandment, “Thou shalt not kill”. We are, as a result of the presence of the Holy Spirit, required to be patient, kind and gentle, full of goodness, loving people who we might not feel like loving.
Angels, a figment of our imagination or a fact?
Thank you for placing Your angels in our life, protecting our souls and guiding us into righteousness. We pray this day for clarity of purpose. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Am I my brother’s keeper…yes, more than I thought.
You teach us that our conscience must be clear when we make choices about eating and drinking and that if our heart convicts us concerning such things, we should refrain. You also tell us that if we do not feel right about what we are doing and we go on doing it, we are sinning.
How could God possibly forgive me…my sins seem indelible
Father, here King David admits that his iniquities have overtaken him. Father, at times some of us feel the same; our iniquities weigh so heavily on us that we don’t know how You could possibly love us or forgive us. That is the miracle, Father, that makes life worth living. It is never about the present, with its moments of difficulty, but it is about the future. We know that is only true if we admit, as David did, that we need Your help.