For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10
My words…
Praise
Who is seeking whom here? I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking You are stationary. I do the searching, and when I find the right path which leads to Your throne, the game of hide and seek is over. Yay! I win! But the fact that You seek me – well, that changes everything. As C. S. Lewis expounds, “But God Himself, alive, pulling at the other end of the cord, perhaps approaching at an infinite speed, the hunter, king, husband – that is quite another matter.” What does that say about You? What kind of God would take it upon Himself to do the seeking? And then I think about the parents who search for their missing child for years, devoting all of their life savings, chasing down every lead in hopes of saving their precious loved one. Yet Your love is of a purer variety, perfect and limitless. And so You seek because when You seek, You save. So seek. Seek every day. Seek perfectly.
Prayer for others
The exciting thing about believing in You is learning more deeply how You work. You are never idle. You are always moving, always seeking to draw another soul to You. You don’t like separation. I pray for that soul You have been seeking for years and years. I pray that person will turn her eyes toward You because when she does, she will bump right into You.
More praise
If You didn’t love, You wouldn’t seek. But it’s not just that You love. You are Love. I can’t grasp it. I can’t explain it. I only know it’s true. It’s the hook on which I hang my belief (if it were a coat). I was sought by You – the hunter, king, husband – because You love me. There is no greater title that I can wear: One sought by God.
Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:13
My words…
Praise
In a world rife with political turmoil, social dissension, cultural shift, economic fluctuation, and personal anxiety, You are the One who brings order to chaos. You are the lifeline. There is no storm You cannot calm, no heart You cannot soften, no soul You cannot save. You keep diligent watch. It’s serious business – You don’t take it lightly. And for this, I praise You!
Prayer for me
You (and Peter) counsel me to be serious about where I place my hope. My complete hope. Then I wonder, how serious am I? Is my mind ready for action – to combat doubt, to uphold Your truth, to share Your love? The answer: Sometimes. “Serious” and “sometimes” don’t go together. I pray for Your hand to lead me from sometimes toward every time.
Forgive me
Being mentally and spiritually serious sounds like a worrisome, wearisome state in which to live daily. But I have it wrong, don’t I? I really need to think of “serious” as “sincere.” Living sincerely in Your hope, I should be joy-filled, delighted to be called Your child. But some days…well, You know. Forgive me.
Prayer for others
Lord, protect and sustain the fragile spirits of those who have recently turned to You and said, “Save me, Lord.” They haven’t much practice in being ready for action or being serious in placing their hope completely on Your grace. I realize I am praying for something You are already doing. So if you need me, use me.
Thank You
Thank You for providing me a place to set my hope. I cherish my hope, and having it secured and protected in You affords me a life of peace. And for that, I am so grateful. Seriously.
God, You are my God; I eagerly seek You. I thirst for You; my body faints for You in a land that is dry, desolate and without water. So I gaze on You in the sanctuary to see Your strength and Your glory. My lips will glorify You because Your faithful love is better than life. So I will praise You as long as I live; at Your name, I will lift up my hands. Psalm 63:1-4
My words…
Who can write like David? Not me. His prayers and songs to You have freed the shackled hearts of people for centuries. I just listened to the story of man, worldly in every way, who, upon hearing one sentence from one hymn, found You. And he didn’t even know he was seeking. Just one phrase of a song brought tears to his eyes and his spirit to its knees. I know how he feels! There have been so many psalmists besides David who have drawn words from deep within their souls, like water from a well, and recorded them for You and for others. As much as I would love to write a psalm worthy of David’s, my well is not as deep. So I offer to You, my favorite psalms, written by others, strung together in one song of praise and reflection. Your angels can put it to music:
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
Mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die.
You didn’t want heaven without us, so, Jesus, You brought heaven down.
The waves and wind still know Your name.
Who would have thought that a Lamb could rescue the souls of men?
Unheard by mortals are the strains that sweetly soothe the Savior’s woe.
All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.
But this I know with all my heart; His wounds have paid my ransom.
I can only imagine.
The heavens are roaring the praise of Your glory, for You are raised to life again.
Bread of heaven, feed me til I want no more.
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well with my soul.
Be Thou my vision, oh Lord of my heart.
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee.
God, who called me here below, shall be forever mine.
God has made His saints victorious; sin and death shall not prevail.
Lift your voice; it’s the year of Jubilee. And out of Zion’s hill salvation comes.
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.
O make me Thine forever, and should I fainting be. Lord let me never, never outlive my love to Thee.
For I have often told you, and now say again with tears, that many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction; their god is their stomach; their glory is in their shame. They are focused on earthly things, but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself. Philippians 3:18-21
My words…
Praise
The other day, as I worked in the heat of the sun, I closed my eyes as a rare, cool breeze blew across my face, lifting the hair off my sweaty forehead. I thanked You for that refreshing gift, then I went back to work. During the course of any day, as I go through scheduled tasks and appointments, I often remember (or You bring it to my mind) that I am a citizen of heaven. That’s when I feel a different cool breeze refreshing my spirit. Nothing covers me with a blanket of peace more than remembering that I am a rightful, though undeserving, citizen of the place where You are.
Prayer for others
Lord, I pray for my nation. I am a citizen of a country in its adolescence – bickering, biting, and scratching at each other, like middle-schoolers brawling between classes. I am proud to call America home, but many of my countrymen and women live as enemies of the cross of Christ, hence the brawling. I live among Your enemies. But You love them with Your whole heart. Help me to love them, too.
Thank You
There are so many more perks with being a citizen of heaven than there are being a citizen of earth. Of course. So I take a moment to thank You for creating a place for all of us citizens to be together, free from enemies, free from earthly things. I long to be a part of the throng whose transformed faces are refreshed by the cool breeze of heaven.
More Praise
It’s both mystifying and wonderful, being a citizen of a place I have never seen. Mystifying because I cannot fathom life beyond my senses, and wonderful because it doesn’t matter. I trust You with my eternity. I can’t wait!
This is what the Lord says: The man who trusts in mankind, who makes human flesh his strength and turns his heart from the Lord is cursed. He will be like a juniper in the Arabah; he cannot see when good comes but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land where no one lives. The man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. He will be like a tree planted by water: it sends its roots out toward a stream, it doesn’t fear when heat comes, and its foliage remains green. It will not worry in a year of drought or cease producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:5-8
My words…
Praise
The interesting thing about trust is that I have to place it somewhere. I can’t keep it locked in a vault. When I purchase an appliance, I trust that when I get it home, it will work. When I am admitted to the hospital, I trust the doctor will make me well. An investment company has a hold of my retirement funds, and I trust they are making sound investments. This trust is in humankind – a bored factory worker, a tired physician, and a speculating financier. It’s enough to make me shudder. But thanks be to You, Lord, for being the perfect receptacle for me to place my trust, for my trust in You overrides my trust in the world. Every facet of my well-being is in Your hands. It’s enough to make me praise!
Prayer for me
I am not, by nature, very trusting. My trust is not easily earned. And when it’s earned, it’s prone to weaken if I don’t see timely results. You have earned my trust, and You treat it as a treasure. But I still have inklings of doubt, and my trust in You wavers during times of waiting. I have placed much of my worry and concern on You lately, trusting You to give me rest. Is it too much to ask for a shot of holy adrenaline to get me through?
Forgive me
When I concern myself with what I have already trusted You to handle, I reveal my lack of faith. Forgive me for not wholly trusting You with every care of my heart and every atom in my body.
Prayer for others
I know of so many who are like junipers in the Arabah. Their souls are parched. They have placed their trust in humankind and have been burned. They cannot see You in their world. I pray for those who are wandering, seeking the perfect vessel in which to place their trust. I pray they find You today.
Thank You
It is written that when I place my trust in You, I am blessed. How true! Thank You for blessing my life with innumerable pleasures, joys, successes, and comforts. You have also blessed me through trial, challenges, and pain. It’s all from You, and I lay every ounce of gratitude at Your feet.
More praise
Because of You, I am a tree planted by a flowing river. My roots are well-watered, and I do not wither when the heat comes. It’s been a long growing season for me, and I trust that You will not leave my side. You never have.
Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20
My words…
Praise
This is no ordinary knock. It doesn’t sound like knuckles rapping against wood. It is the sudden lyrics of a hymn remembered from childhood. It is the words of the cashier inviting me to have a blessed day. It’s the sound of the Salvation Army bell at Christmas. It’s the social media post declaring Your love for all. It’s the pamphlet from a local church, left on the sidewalk. It’s Your still, small voice invading dreams. It’s skepticism in an atheist’s reason. It’s the conversion of a friend. Your knock doesn’t chide. It doesn’t belittle. It doesn’t accuse. You don’t beat down the door. But You are persistent. You will never leave the doorpost, and You will never cease to knock.
Prayer for others
So many doors remain shut. Some are aged and worn with rusted hinges. Some have been reinforced with steel and concrete to muffle the sound of Your knocking. Some owners have painted the door black and pretend it doesn’t exist. No door. No knock. Others scream at You through the door, ordering You to leave. I pray for these hearts, these doors. I pray they will do one thing: Listen! Your gentle voice is the oil on rusted hinges. Your life-giving words permeate steel. Your unceasing presence is proof of Your love that is real. And Your invitation can disarm all hate. I pray for locks removed! I pray for doors flying open all over Your kingdom!
More praise
When heart-doors are open, the feasting begins! I realize we don’t sit down to actual meat and potatoes (but someday perhaps?). But it’s a dinner, nonetheless. Delightful conversation, informative communication, refreshingly quenched thirst, heartily satisfied hunger. As long as I stay around, the meal continues. Dinner with You. How great is that?
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, brought it into the temple of Dagon and placed it next to his statue. When the people of Ashdod got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and returned him to his place. But when they got up early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen with his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. This time, both Dagon’s head and the palms of his hands were broken off and lying on the threshold. Only Dagon’s torso remained.
1 Samuel 5:1-5
My words…
Praise
Poor Dagon. There he was, hanging out in his temple. Minding his own business. Then BAM! On his face! This demonstration of Your power had nothing to do with Dagon, I am guessing. It was the Philistines who created their own deity. They named him. They decided his dimensions and fashioned him from stone and gold. They placed him in a pretty room and worshiped him. Everything was going along swimmingly until they came upon You and learned the difference between a man-made god and The God. Your creation didn’t make You. We didn’t name You. We didn’t decide Your dimensions. There is no other god like You. There is no other god besides You. And that is why I worship You.
Prayer for us all
When the Philistines found their god destroyed, they didn’t walk around, scratching their heads, wondering what happened. They knew the God of the Israelites had defeated the god of the Philistines. They wanted You out of their temple – out of their presence. So they took the Ark and sent it home. The “Philistines” are still around today. They know of Your power, but they don’t want you around. You disrupt what they worship. They are my neighbors, they are my co-workers, they are my family. I pray they will come to know who You really are and what Your love can do in their lives if they would only allow it. And my heart breaks as I confess that sometimes they are me. I live a very secure, comfortable life, which I hold dear. You have taught me not to worship what I own, it’s all Yours anyway. But sometimes I grasp it all a little too tightly and call it mine. Forgive me.
More praise
Dagon didn’t fall backward; he fell forward in Your presence. On his face. That’s where the whole of creation belongs.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
My words…
Praise
You are misunderstood by so many. We humans excel at misunderstanding and misrepresenting. Have You grown weary of it? Probably not. You are so long-suffering. Sam Harris states that You are either impotent, evil, or imaginary. Some believe You cause evil as a way to punish. Others are sure that You stopped performing miracles centuries ago. And then there are those who believe You are dead. You are the only Way to understanding what I need to know about You, me, and my world. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone understood that?
Prayer for me
You remember the time I worked at a homeless shelter serving food. It’s not hard for me to remember since I ashamedly have only done it once. I scooped food onto a woman’s plate, and she asked me for more. I had been given strict instructions that I could not give more until everyone in the room had been fed. I explained this to her, and, using language that made my eyes pop, she shared with me her views about that rule. I had this woman pegged: she was ungrateful, selfish, and crude. I was relying heavily on my own understanding of her – a woman I had never met. I didn’t know the first thing about her past or her present. I am too quick to misunderstand those around me. Teach me how to understand people like You do.
Prayer for others
This world needs a heavy dose of holy understanding. Republicans misunderstand Democrats. Democrats misunderstand Republicans. One race is misunderstood by another. One faith misrepresents another. Then it builds, misunderstanding upon misunderstanding. That’s when rifts happen. Satan rubs his hands together in glee. Protect and strengthen everyone in my world who has the faith to “think about You in all their ways.” Let Your light shine through them like a beacon, blanketing the land in peace that passes understanding.
More praise
There is a “someday” when You will no longer be misunderstood. Your infinite qualities will be clearly known by all. For many, that someday will be a day of regret. But not for me.
God created human beings; He created them godlike, reflecting God’s nature. God looked over everything He had made; it was so good. So very good! Genesis 1:27, 31
My words…
Praise
In the strictest sense of the word, only You are able to create. Making something from nothing happens only in the immortal realm. You created me as a carbon-based life-form, but You created the carbon. Now that I think about it, creation must be a fun thing to do. I wouldn’t be surprised if Your laughter was the first thing a yellow-bellied sapsucker heard on its creation day. And then You created humans – what a day that must have been. The beginning of the countdown leading to the night when a bright star hung over Bethlehem. Perhaps You weren’t laughing that day. But one thing is for sure: You love Your creation. So whenever one person mistreats another, You feel it. When a person cries out, You hear it. You hang close to what You created.
I’ve never created anything, but I’ve made a few things. I can make spaghetti. It’s not great, but it’s mine. And my family actually eats it, which makes me feel good about my “creation.” I know what it feels like to make something that actually turns out. But I’ve made some things I wish I hadn’t. At Christmas last year, I spent an entire day sewing a pillow. You saw it. Hideous. Now there’s seven hours I’ll never get back. But You – You never created anything that didn’t turn out exactly how You planned. You never wasted time (or whatever You call the passing of events in heaven) on a project. Everything You make is good.
Here is the real reason I wrote this prayer: I am so very, very humbled and grateful and flabbergasted that I am a creation of Yours. Me! My spirit is not strong enough to relay the adequate words to my brain to write exactly how thankful I am to be part of what You created. I love that I was formed by the same hand that created the T-Rex, the honeysuckle vine, the Pleiades, and the redwood. When I “create” something, there is a part of me in that. When You created me, You put a part of You in me. And that is the only reason I can be called good.
But where can wisdom be found, and where is understanding located? No man can know its value, since it cannot be found in the land of the living. The ocean depths say, “It’s not in me,” while the sea declares, “I don’t have it.” But God understands the way to wisdom, and He knows its location. He said to mankind, “The fear of the Lord is this: wisdom. And to turn from evil is understanding.” Job 28:12-14, 23, 28
My words…
Praise
There is nothing that can sustain my soul, straighten my reality, increase my understanding, or arm me against my adversary like Your wisdom. It is a treasure I have spent my adult years searching for and finding. You don’t hide it. You tell me exactly where to search. I find it in nuggets, for who could bear it all at once?
Prayer for me
Lord, today I reach out to You for more wisdom. It’s a request I’ve prayed the most but not nearly enough. My mind bustles with questions regarding things I don’t know. In other words, I have a mind full of questions about the unknown (and the unknowable). Some questions are harmless (What’s up with black holes?), but others influence the thoughts and intents of my heart (Why has a prayer gone unanswered for so long? Will I ever see it answered? If not, why?). I have used my ability to face the unknown as a wisdom gage. But, at the present, the reading is erratic. I’ve grown weary of staring at the unknown while it stares back and occasionally winks, taunting me that I will never know it.
Forgive me
Forgive me for seeking wisdom in other places, seeking answers to my personal unknowns. Information of every strain swirls around me, hoping to find a place to rest and release its influence. Sometimes I turn my mind toward something that sounds right from a reputable source and latch a mind stem around it before I place it in front of You for a test. That’s not wise. I know better.
Thank You
Thank You for making it clear the only place where wisdom dwells. Thank You for sharing its location with me and the world.
More praise
There are times when I am writing my prayers that I receive a clear idea in my mind regarding something I have just prayed. The idea is undeniably right. I accept it as a response from You – Your answer: I will reveal what is unknown when you are ready to receive it. I kneel in praise to Your for this answer.
