Father, we see here that age should teach wisdom but it is not always so. Neither great men nor aged men are always wise, but men whose spirit has been breathed upon by Your Spirit, are given understanding, Your understanding.
We seek you by day, you seek us by night, mysteriously
Father, when we seek You during the day, You are telling us here that You seek us by night, as we sleep. You open our ears to new knowledge, to new possibilities of service to You. You instruct us in the night seasons. Father, when Your Spirit teaches and leads our spirit, it is a gift of immeasurable value, a true act of love from You to us.
To be forgiven enables you to forgive
Core Christian Value: God gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins. God forgives us for our sins and He expects us to forgive others who have disappointed us. We must forgive others in order to receive forgiveness.
Pride, the subtle, but terribly effective, tool of Satan
Father, is there any sin more likely to be in our lives than pride? It seems not as we observe the actions of some of your most committed people. Help us notice how pride can creep into our lives. Show us how to convert prideful tendencies into joy in Your presence, joy in victories made possible by You. We are so tempted to “seek the best seat” but here you teach us how embarrassed, before You, we will be when we are asked to yield that seat to another.
Rescued by the very hand of God
Father, the magnificence of Your creation is constantly before us. You tell us that the clouds are as dust to Your feet and that You have named every star. Solomon advises us to never lose sight of Your omnipotence, Your omniscience and Your omnipresence. You have created every thing that exists, You are in complete control.
You are invited to enter, behind the veil.
Father, first You have called us saints and now You invite us to enter into Your Holy Presence, a place where only the High Priest could enter once a year, behind the veil.
Wisdom/Perfection…are they linked?
Give us more than wisdom alone O’God. Give us discernment Father wherein we can utilize the power of the Holy Spirit to understand the full meaning of Your hope for us. Let us never flatter, to gain advantage, nor lack humility as we seek to serve You and our fellow man.
Is working hard part of what God expects of us?
Father, Solomon observed and made logical deductions. Give us the wisdom to do the same. We know that endeavor, in Your name, is rewarded, but as clear as we are on that fact, we sometimes think that what we have personally accomplished will endure.
Did you say rejoice when times are hard?
What we need Father is a greater and greater dependence on You. Our enduring treasure is in heaven, not on earth. Help us use the assets that You give us in this life to better serve You, to run swiftly toward the goal and to walk with You on high hills, even when experiencing challenges in our day to day lives.
God, do you actually think about me, personally?
Father, Your promises are both complex and wonderful. Help us each day O’God to know You as You know us. Draw us to Your well of knowledge and wisdom, Your Holy Word, daily. Clarify Your expectations of us, individually, that we might serve You.