Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death – even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11
My words…
Praise
I often think about what life must have been like for You, Jesus, while on earth. Leaving the presence of Your Father, the angelic hosts, and access to every dimension, You arrived here. How confining earth must have felt. And dirty. And smelly. You rarely used Your God-powers to circumvent the situation before You. Once, You disappeared through a crowd, avoiding being thrown from a cliff. Understandable. You couldn’t die then – You had work to do. You walked throughout the region of Judea and Samaria when You could have moved from one place to another with the snap of Your fingers. But You wouldn’t have met the Samaritan woman at the well (one of my favorite conversations of all time). You could have leaped the Sea of Galilee in one bound, but You wouldn’t have walked on water with Peter. Each miraculous act demonstrated Your love and compassion to the human race, and glorified Your Father. No stage, no lights, no applause. It’s this attitude that makes You the God You are. It’s this attitude that, when emulated, changes the course of human lives. It’s this attitude that makes You the God I want to serve.
Prayer for me
Lord, I want Your attitude, Your mind-set. Not an attitude of entitlement, but one of humility. I know I will never uphold this attitude perfectly. I will continue to whine, “That’s not fair!” But with Your help, I will allow Your Spirit to re-shape my self-seeking attitude into one that will bring You pleasure.
Forgive me
Pardon my sin of “selective humility.” I slip on Your attitude of humility then take it off – like a coat. Forgive me for thinking it’s impossible to wear Your attitude every single day.
Prayer for others
Father, I want to pray for a specific person, a man I heard about, living in Washington D.C. After being seriously injured in his home by an intruder and hospitalized for days, he was forced to find a safer place to live. He is a man well-acquainted with street life, having been homeless for a time. He researched alternative housing and found a place where the rent payment fell within the parameters required by his federal housing voucher. He arranged an interview with the manager and arrived clean and well-dressed. But when the manager realized he was receiving federal assistance, she quoted a higher price for the apartment, a price not covered by the voucher. The man thanked the woman for meeting with him, apologized for being himself misinformed, and left. You watched this scene unfold. You felt his pain in Your heart. Which of the two acted more like Jesus? Bless him for that, Lord! Meet his needs! He is just one of so many who suffer at the hands of those in decision-making positions. You are a God with limitless power, so I’m praying for all of those who suffer because of their station in life. They endure abuse with humility. I pray You will touch their lives with a portion of Your comfort. Guard them, Lord, and bring them relief and rest.
Thank you
Thank You for being the kind of God You are – One who willingly stepped away from the magnificence of the heavens to live as a mortal, enduring what You did not deserve. Thank You for choosing to work as a carpenter, feeling the pain when You struck Your finger instead of the nail. Thank you for allowing Yourself to catch a cold and scrape Your knee. You felt deep sadness at the death of Your friends. You endured betrayal and denial. And worst of all, death by crucifixion. Yet You did it anyway. My heart is filled with thanksgiving for You.
More praise
Jesus, You held the power of the universe within the constraints of a human body. You, the Son of God, endured the ridicule and indifference of Your creation – right in Your face. By Your own choice, You had no home, no money, no distinguished earthly pedigree. And because of this, You are now raised in glory, seated at the right hand of the Father, receiving the praise of angels and people of faith. I long to see the day when, at the mention of Your precious name, no one in heaven, earth, or below the earth will be standing, for we will all be on our knees, offering You unabashed praise and adoration. But for now, accept my praise, accept my adoration of You, Jesus, who humbly endured so much for me.
Lord, God of vengeance – God of vengeance appear. Rise up, Judge of the earth; repay the proud what they deserve. Lord, how long will the wicked – how long will the wicked gloat? They pour out arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. Lord, they crush Your people; they afflict Your heritage. They kill the widow and the foreigner and murder the fatherless. They say, “The Lord doesn’t see it. The God of Jacob doesn’t pay attention.”
But the Lord is my refuge; my God is the rock of my protection. He will pay them back for their sins and destroy them for their evil. The lord our God will destroy them. Psalm 94:1-7, 22-23
My words…
Praise
Lord, when I hear the word vengeance, I cringe. The word carries an undertone of violence without control. But then I realize that I have formed that idea from how mankind handles vengeance: We stalk, prey, beat, lynch, murder, rationalize, and justify. We grow incensed by the absence (or perceived absence) of justice, and vengeance is an emotional release. Every day I hear of wicked people lurking around corners, snatching children from playgrounds. Some behead innocent civilians and post the footage on the internet. Others beat and rob the elderly in their homes; they kidnap children to use in despicable ways. In short, they ruin lives. And I want those innocents avenged. But vengeance doesn’t belong to me. I don’t own it. It’s Yours. Those who are evil boast about their wickedness as if they are accountable to no one. They are not afraid of You. They do not respect You. They think You cannot see; they think You cannot hear. But You, oh God, created the eye, and You see each tear. You created the ear, and You hear each cry. You, who judge each motive and action, are the Perfect Avenger. You’re not going to get it wrong. Woe to those who prey on the innocent. They cannot hide from Your judgment. God of heaven and earth, You will hold them accountable either in this life or the next. You’re the only One who can.
Prayer for me
Lord, I pray Your promise of vengeance will drive away the anger and hopelessness I experience when I am bombarded with news of evil deeds. I allow the blatant wickedness to zap the joy of being Your child from my heart. Evil will not endure! You are more powerful than all of the forces of hatred and violence, and You will avenge in Your time. Remind me of this, Lord, each time I lose sight of this truth.
Forgive me
Lord, at times I have a vengeful heart. I desire swift justice for those who suffer at the hands of evildoers. And when the innocents are avenged, I smile. I gloat. Ha! Evil has taken a blow! Forgive me when I allow my heart to be filled with vengeance, leaving no room for mercy at all.
Prayer for others
Lord, You know of the father who recently avenged the rape of his daughter. You watched as he tied the rapist to a tree and cut off his hands, leaving him to die. You have witnessed even worse acts of vengeance since You created man. Repaying evil for evil leaves a mark on the guilty and the innocent. Lives are forever ruined. So, I pray for those who have taken on the job of vengeance, refusing to allow You to do what You have promised. Purify their hearts against the hate and spite that accompanies revenge.
Thanksgiving
Thank You for taking on the responsibility of vengeance for all of us who have ever lived and will ever live. You who are perfectly just will perfectly avenge.
More praise
So many evil men and women have walked this earth. Many of them were rulers of others, inflicting their subjects with unspeakable horrors. Some chapters of our history read like the script of a depraved horror movie. But You’ve been paying attention all along. You know the score. There is a reckoning coming led by the One who has heard the cry of every afflicted man, woman, and child. You love us enough to see each act of wickedness avenged. I praise You for acting as Judge over Your creation – Your heritage.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:
Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer because the previous things have passed away.
Then the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give water as a gift to the thirsty from the spring of life. The victor will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be My son.” Revelation 21:1-7
My words…
God, You measure the boundaries of the universe using the span of your arm. You hold the keys to the storehouses of hail. You call to the lightning bolts, and they report for duty. You can loosen the belt of Orion. You, who can do this and immeasurably more, poured out a revelation to the exiled Apostle John, blessing me with a mindful of imagery beyond the scope of my limited understanding. But I can’t help but grow excited when I read about a time when I will be living with You in a place that sounds a whole lot different from Earth – a place where everything is new. I like new things – things that I have never seen, never touched – things that have never been used by anyone else. Things “with the tags still on.” It matters not to me where this place is located – above the clouds, on the earth, or somewhere in between. It matters not to me what this place is called – Paradise, Heaven, or new Jerusalem. Just as long as You are there, then it’s all good. This new place could be a depressing hovel in the middle of a barren wasteland, but as long as You are there, then it’s all good. I’m thankful, though, that you intend for it to be a place where pain, grief, and weeping are checked at the door. Every face will be genuinely joy-filled. Help me imagine! I search out the innocent, unjaded images expressed by children. They have imaginations that more accurately capture this new, amazing place. One little boy wants to play tether-ball with angels (that’s new). A little girl wants to dance with You (can’t wait to see that). And another little boy wants to watch You, Jesus, ride a rainbow horse (definitely new)! The thought of living together with You someday in Your new place chases away every despondent, fretful, incensed thought from my heart, and the empty place is filled with anticipation and wonder. You are wondrous!
Prayer for me
I want to keep this image of a new place with You at the forefront of my mind each day. No other image can blast away weariness, pessimism, and failure faster than one of You and me being together in a place where the daunting presence of death is absent. No cemeteries, dirges, or eulogies. Just life with You.
Forgive me
When the immorality of this world beats against the walls of my heart, drowning out Your Spirit’s message of hope, I open the door and let it in. Forgive me when I allow the Father of Lies a toe-hold in a place reserved for You alone.
Prayer for others
I pray for those who long to see this place where You will live with Your children. So many face grief each day, so many face painful medical treatments, and so many have become numb to the abuse they call normal. Give them a sense of what it may feel like when You, the God of all that has been created, will wipe away each tear from their eyes.
Thanksgiving
The amazing part about the anticipation of living with You is that it is not one-sided. I know that You are just as excited about sharing Your place with me as I am about living there with You. Incredible! Absolutely incredible! Once again, there is no earthly way for me to adequately thank you for including me in your everlasting life plan. Maybe there will be a heavenly way. I hope so.
More praise
You desire for all of Your children to live with You in a new place where perfect joy stands at the door and bars the way of heartbreak, anxiety, and mourning. You will not allow them to dwell with us there. Our place together will be filled with Your love, Your light, Your presence. And that’s all I need. But if, by chance, Jesus decides to ride a rainbow horse, save a seat for me.
Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. When the man saw that He could not defeat him, He struck Jacob’s hip socket as they wrestled and dislocated his hip. Then He said to Jacob, “Let Me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me.” “What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied. “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” He said. “It will be Israel because you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked Him, “Please tell me Your name.” But He answered, “Why do you ask My name?” And He blessed him there. Jacob then named the place Peniel, “For I have seen God face to face,” he said, “and I have been delivered.” Genesis 32: 24 -31
My words…
Praise
I find this story of You as a wrestler very captivating. Not because I am a wrestling fan – I’m not. It intrigues me to know that You would confront a man in such a personal, hands-on way, using not a supernatural strength, but a strength equal to that of Jacob’s – a man’s strength in a man’s body. You didn’t need to wrestle with Jacob. Jacob needed to wrestle with You. He stood on the bank of the Jabbok, knowing he was to come face-to-face with his brother the following morning. Jacob was a cheater; he didn’t play fair with Esau, and Esau had every right to hate his twin. Jacob must have been pacing the river bank, anxious about how his reunion with his brother would play out. Jacob was weighed down by guilt; he stood at the mercy of another. And then You showed up, and an all-night contest ensued. I have always wondered about the need to physically wrestle. Why not a knock-down, drag-out debate? You two talk it over. Jacob asks You for a blessing. You agree, change his name, and Jacob walks away without a limp. But I have a feeling that Jacob didn’t do anything the easy way. For him to learn, for him to change, a struggle must occur. The blessing he received from his father, Isaac, was granted under false pretenses. So now he needed a proper blessing bestowed honestly with no deceit or trickery, and You allowed it. And because he lived to tell about it, he named that place Peniel. Jacob didn’t deserve deliverance from Esau. But You are the God who blesses those who don’t deserve it. That’s just how You work.
Prayer for me
We wrestle all the time, You and I. Prayer wrestling. I am always struggling with You to understand why this world is the way it is. Sometimes I walk away, having been enlightened. Sometimes I limp away, still frustrated. Either way, I’m always glad we wrestled. I need Your help to continue struggling, pleading with You to bless me because sometimes it’s just easier to tap out.
Forgive me
Forgive me when I avoid You. And I do, more than I care to admit. When I pray, I have to be honest because if I’m not, You’ll know, and it ends up being just a waste of time. Sometimes I carry guilt around like a yoke, and I don’t want to think about it, which is why I avoid You in the first place. Forgive me for not placing the yoke at Your feet and leaving it there.
Prayer for others
Lord, I pray for those who have cheated and deceived those whom they call family. Just because we are related to someone, doesn’t mean we don’t betray him or her and bury the secret deep inside. I know of those who refuse to communicate with certain family members because of an old rift. Bring them to the edge of their own personal Jabbok, and wrestle with them: Spirit against spirit. Show them Your “face” somehow so they will be forever changed, limping away from their own Peniel, empowered to face the one they have harmed.
Thank you
Thank You for allowing me the privilege of struggling with You. I give You the glory for whatever spiritual strength and endurance I possess – the outcome of our time together.
More praise
You are not the God who is repulsed by my weaknesses and struggles. You will square off with me, grappling and sweating through the pain for hours, days, maybe years. And the reward is Your blessing, Your face shining on me, and Your peace. Such a reward is worth the struggle!
Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
My words…
Praise
Father, when I lift my heart to You in prayer, I intentionally use my first words as words of praise and exultation. They are my “first fruit” words that I lay at your feet, acknowledging Your ability and willingness to answer my petitions, forgive my short-comings, and accept my thanksgiving. But, today I am unsure how to praise You. Your chosen apostle, Your tireless servant, humbly entreated You to comfort him from a chronic, physical ailment or deficiency that plagued him every waking hour. You allowed this thorn, this tormenting message from Satan, to weaken Paul and cause him to cry out to You three times. Your answer each time? No. I have prayed to You to guide my thoughts to understand what You want me to learn from Paul’s prayers. And I think the key word for me to ponder is weakness. I don’t find any enjoyment in thinking about my weaknesses. Who does? As humans, we have conquered, built, invented, and explored not from a foundation of weakness, but in a belief that strength is the key to success. So, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that You would work through our weaknesses to grow more reliant on You. Your ways are opposed to the ways of the world. It pains me to read about Paul’s entreaties. He had suffered so much in Your name: beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment. Yet You knew his faith and reliance on You would only grow stronger if he remained tormented by the “thorn.” His weakened body was the perfect vessel in which You chose to work. And he gladly accepted Your answer to his prayer. His weakness made him strong, and You needed a strong Paul. At times, Your ways are difficult and painful to endure. Praise be to the God of heaven who knows to use our weaknesses to make us strong. We wouldn’t have figured it out on our own.
Prayer for me
Lord, I need to trust You more. I have placed at Your feet petitions for me and for others, and You have answered in the same way You answered Paul: No. Then I wonder: Do You hear me? Do You care? You have shown me, through Paul, that negative answer to prayer is Your way of growing my faith and my resolve to depend upon You. Like Paul, I want Christ’s power to reside in me. This is my earnest prayer.
Forgive me
It is hard to admit that, after all these years, I still wonder if You hear me. What a faithless child I am. Forgive my lack of faith. I read about the Apostle Paul, and I am awed by his acceptance of Your will in his life. I know in my heart that Paul’s level of faith is not out of reach for me. Pardon my unwillingness to desire a life where my weaknesses and my discomfort are the way to a stronger faith in You.
Prayer for others
Lord, You know how many suffer from various thorns in the flesh. So many. Our bodies are susceptible to the prick and pain of various kinds of thorns. Some are facing surgery tomorrow morning. Many are receiving treatments, leaving them weak and anxious. Others know their moments on this earth are but a few. Lord, I am saddened by those I know who are suffering, but I pray You will use their weakness to grow their faith. I pray that even in the middle of pain, You will give them the strength to smile and turn their face upward to You in a show of submission and praise.
Thanksgiving
Thank you for the lessons You teach through Your holy words. They are hard lessons, but I can learn them from no one else. Thank you for being the God who loves me enough to teach me the only way that’s worth living.
More Praise
You are a mighty, strong God who yearns to see me grow through my weakness. You are the giver of grace. Your grace is sufficient. Your grace is enough.
On the third day, when morning came, there was thunder and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and a loud trumpet sound, so that all the people in the camp shuddered. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord came down on it in fire. Its smoke went up like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him in the thunder. Exodus 19:16-19
All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain surrounded by smoke. When the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. “You speak to us, and we will listen,” they said to Moses, “but don’t let God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses responded to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, so that you will fear Him and will not sin.” And the people remained standing at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. Exodus 20:18-21
My words…
Praise
Four hundred and thirty years is a long time. Generations of Your people living as slaves in Egypt – being born a slave and dying a slave. You watched as they suffered, toiling under heartless slave masters, yet they continued to cry out to You for deliverance. And then, one day, enough was enough. You acted. If nine extremely bothersome plagues, a night of terror and death, and a dry-footed hike through the Red Sea weren’t enough to convict the Israelites of Your power, then the display You had in mind at the foot of Mount Sinai was sure to dispel any question of Your divine majesty. You could have chosen any number of ways to introduce Yourself to Your chosen people: a light shower of angel dust (Is there such a thing? I hope so.) coating everyone in a shimmering symbol of love and gentleness, or thousands of white, gleaming doves, swooping overhead in a splendid choreographed show of peace and friendship. Instead, You chose a terrifying lightning and thunder exhibit. Personally, I love thunder – the louder, the better. But the Israelites didn’t seem so thrilled. Maybe it was the really loud celestial trumpet or the smoke-filled air left over by the God-filled fire. Either way, they insisted on Moses as the intermediary. They were scared stiff. But this illustration of your supremacy happened for a reason (of course). You did it to test Your people. When I think of tests, I think of school. In this case, You’re the teacher and Sinai was the classroom. You give a test, and Your students must respond. There was only one question on this test: Now that you have seen an example of My might and majesty, will you follow and obey Me? It’s a yes-or-no question. When Your strong arm is in full view, who wouldn’t quake and consent to be devoted to You every waking second? But as time passes, the lightning ceases, the thunder is silent, and the smoke clears. Then what? For some, their Sinai conviction is replaced or forgotten. For others, the smoke remains in their nostrils for life as a reminder of who You are and what You can do. I am far removed from Mt. Sinai, but I experience Sinai nonetheless. You gave Jesus for me. You placed Your Spirit in my very own heart. After that – who needs lightening, thunder, smoke or fire? Not me!
Prayer for me
Keep the smell of Your smoke in my nostrils, Lord. Help me see Your glory on display in this world – to recognize it, to stop and praise You in that moment. Continue to test me so I may grow.
Forgive me
Forgive me, oh God, when I lose sight of Your presence in this world. The evil is so prevalent, Your presence becomes blurred. Pardon my hopelessness when I allow the good to be overshadowed by the evil.
Prayer for others
Father, there are throngs of Your followers who have lost the smell of Your smoke in their nostrils. They haven’t seen You working, or at least they haven’t recognized it when You were. At one time, they basked in Your glory, experiencing their own personal Sinai experience, but something happened (or nothing happened). They no longer answer Your test question with a Yes. Increase their faith. Fill their lungs with Your divine smoke again.
Thanksgiving
Thank You for placing good people in my path. I see You in their actions and in their words. They take in unwanted children just as You would. They feed those with little or no food. They teach Your message to anyone who will listen. Their nostrils are filled with Your smoke, and I smell it just being near them. Thank you!
More praise
Praise to the God who directs lightning and commands thunder. Your power can melt the hearts of men, bringing us to our knees. Yet You love us. And Your love is more powerful than thunder and lightning – it is the truest and mightiest show of Your power in the heavens and on earth. Hallelujah!
“Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it because it was well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great!”
Luke 6:46-49
Then His mother and brothers came to Him, but they could not meet with Him because of the crowd. He was told, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.” But He relied to them, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear and do the word of God.” Luke 8:19-21
My words…
Praise
Lord, You are a servant God. Jesus, You served others every day of Your earthly sojourn. You provided the perfect example of how to be a do-er of good. The hands that used carpenter tools on blocks of wood and stone were the same hands that healed infirmities and restored hope. How many did You heal? How many did You comfort? How many did You teach? Throngs of hopeless souls crowded You, yet You never turned any away. You must have been exhausted each night when You finally were left alone to pray. Then You rose again the next day only to be thronged again. You didn’t get much you time, did You? I praise you for being the God who makes the most of every moment. You are not an idle God. You are a God of action.
Prayer for me
I call You Lord in my prayers. I proclaim You as Lord of my life. I sing Jesus is Lord. But if I don’t do what You say, I have no right to call you Lord. Those who live under a lordship, act according to the Lord’s words. When I don’t act according to Your word, You have every right to wonder, “Why do you call Me Lord?” I am a reader of scripture and a say-er of prayers, but the more I read, and the more I pray, I learn I am called to do more. You’re not asking me to end wars, eradicate slavery or eliminate poverty. No. You’re asking me to be a person who acts in the face of a single need. I understand it in my mind. I am moved by it in my heart. But my hands hang at my sides. Prick my heart, Lord, to “dirty” my hands doing Your work.
Forgive me
Forgive me for being blind to the needs of those around me as I busy myself attending to my own wishes. I have loads of me time when what I should have is loads of You time. How many times have I asked my child to complete a task only to hear, “Do I have to?” or “Can I do it later?” or my favorite, “Am I getting paid?” Yet, I must admit, You have heard those same responses from me, haven’t You? Forgive me for being an ungrateful child.
Prayer for others
Oh God, I know You bless those who use their hands to bless others: those working with the refugees, the orphans, the prisoners, the unwanted. These do-ers are Your mother and Your brothers. They grow weary at times. They are ridiculed, sometimes by the very people they are helping. But they have built their lives on a foundation. You are that foundation. They stand firm through the punishing winds of self-doubt and persecution. Give them the strength of body and heart to continue in Your work. They have every right to call You Lord.
Thank you
The best part about being Yours is knowing that You hold me dear even when I don’t live as You desire. I disappoint You, yet You continue to bless me, You continue to love me, and my heart is overflowing with thankfulness.
More praise
Lord, You are the secure foundation in a world where everything shifts. And what peace of spirit this secure foundation provides! Glory to God in the heavens! He is not a misty, nebulous god. Oh, no! He is a rock! A solid rock!
My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is lifted up by the Lord. My mouth boasts over my enemies because I rejoice in Your salvation. There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You! And there is no rock like our God. Do not boast so proudly or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by Him. The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength. Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more. The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away. The Lord brings death and gives life; He sends some to Sheol, and He raises others up. The Lord brings poverty and gives wealth; He humbles and He exalts. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the garbage pile. He seats them with nobelmen and gives them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; He has set the world on them. He guards the steps of His faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for a man does not prevail by his own strength. Those who oppose the Lord will be shattered; He will thunder in the heavens against them. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give power to His king; He will lift up the horn of His anointed. 1 Samuel 2:1-10
My words…
Praise
Lord, I praise You for Hannah. She seems to know You so well, and her words cause me to nod my head and say, “Pray on, sister!” For this is a prayer of one who suffered in her body and in her soul. She was barren – childless for years. And in a culture that valued a woman according to her ability to bear children, Hannah felt worthless. After a time, she must have felt forgotten by You. And although her husband loved her unconditionally, she was scorned and ridiculed by her rival wife, Peninnah, who gave birth and rubbed Hannah’s nose in it. Hannah endured the taunts, layers of barbed taunts that cut her heart. She could not stop crying; instead, she stopped eating. I know what You planned for Hannah, Lord. I read the story. You heard each one of Hannah’s spoken and unspoken anguished pleas. But how much more powerful was Your bountiful answer (in Your time) after years of maternal drought? She knew who had blessed her womb, and she wanted the world to know, also. Her prayer, preserved over centuries, is one loud shout of praise to the One who changed her whole world. I imagine her raising her hands to You, laughing and crying at the same time as her timeless prayer reached Your ears. She became a mother to a son. And not just any son. Samuel grew to be a great judge of Your people, Israel. (I wonder what Peninnah thought about that?) Like Hannah, I praise You for being the God who listens to the feeble, the starving, and the childless.
Prayer for me
How many times, Lord, have I drug my heavy heart before Your throne, asking You to lighten it? How many times have I come to You when everything is falling apart, asking You to fit the pieces together again? You know the number. Now compare that to the number of times I have raised my heart and hands to You in overwhelming joy when I have been blessed by You. You know that paltry number as well. Hannah dragged her heavy heart before You for years, pleading for Your favor. And when she received it, she praised You in a way worthy of Your blessing. I desire to emulate Hannah. My prayers do not compare to her triumphant gift of praise and adoration to You. But I am just as blessed. Teach me, Lord, to praise you better. Help me, Lord, to praise you often.
Forgive Me
Forgive me for neglecting to give You the glory for the innumerable blessings You wrap around me like a blanket. Especially forgive me when I insult You by believing I made the blanket.
Prayer for others
Today I pray for those who have waited so long for an answer to prayer and are beginning to lose hope. Their faith is teetering. They believe You have turned Your ear from them. I don’t know how to encourage them. “Don’t lose faith,” I plead, but yet they do. Hannah’s womb was barren of life for decades, yet her faith grew. I pray that those who remain in prayer will remember Hannah’s prolonged plight and her victory through You.
Thanksgiving
Lord, I know a modern-day Hannah. She has prayed to You for a child for thirteen years. And now, You have blessed her with a little one growing in her womb. Some may credit the medical treatments. Some may say it was chance. But we give glory to whom glory is due. Thank you, Lord, for this precious answer to prayer. Our hearts rejoice in the Lord!
More praise
Lord, look at my heart. My praise for You lives there. Most times I cannot form the sentences worthy enough to Praise You. This is one of those times. Hannah said it so much better that I ever could: There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides You! And there is no rock like our God.
What does the worker gain from his struggles? I have seen the task that God has given people to keep them occupied. He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and enjoy the good life. It is also the gift of God whenever anyone eats, drinks, and enjoys all his efforts. I know that all God does will last forever; there is no adding to it or taking from it. God works so that people will be in awe of Him. Ecclesiastes 3:9-14
There is nothing better for man than to eat, drink, and enjoy his work. I have seen that even this is from God’s hand because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from Him? Ecclesiastes 2:24-25
My words…
Praise
Lord, Solomon offers so much wisdom in this book, and I am struggling to understand Your message of Ecclesiastes. But that’s all right. I have prayed that You will open my mind and heart to absorb Solomon’s words. Some of his words penetrate my spirit: “He has put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end.” You have placed eternity in my heart! As a child, I studied math, and I learned the concept of infinite numbers – numbers without a beginning and end. What a mind-blowing concept! You are infinity – eternity. You have no beginning and no end. However, Your work has a beginning and end; Solomon writes that I cannot discover that work. Of course, I can’t. You are God. But I have learned that You have a job, too – like me. You work. You are not idle. But what is Your compensation? Do You have a benefits package? According to Solomon, You work so I have Someone of whom I can be in awe. You provide a place where I may lay my praise, which is what eternity-hearted people desire to do. And that pleases You. Praise the Lord!
Prayer for me
I have a job. I have a home. I have a family. So I have a lot of work to do. My jobs are often repetitious and unfulfilling. The same thing, day after day. Instead of rejoicing in the work You have given me, I grow bored and resentful. I don’t seek out ways to enjoy my work. Help me look upon my work, not as drudgery, but as a gift from You.
Forgive me
Forgive me when I feel the work I do is beneath me. Jesus washed his disciples feet, and He is the Son of the Almighty God! Forgive me for being ungrateful to You for blessing me with work. You see those who suffer from unemployment, and yet I complain about commuter traffic and unfair wages. Forgive me for these blatant expressions of discontent.
Prayer for others
Father, I pray for those who seek work but have yet to find it. It is good for us to be occupied, to have a job to do. But so many are without work, and feelings of uselessness and inadequacy abound. For those who seek to find a job to do, I pray You will show them the path toward work. And for those who are unable to work, I pray You will provide for their needs. I also pray for exploited and abused workers world-wide, forced to work in unbearable conditions for hours on end, without a day of rest. Most labor silently, powerless to stand up to tyrannical, greedy employers. But You see them. Work for them, Lord! Bring them rest and a chance to eat, drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Thank you
Thank you, Father, for the blessing of work. I am happy to show my gratitude by enjoying my life – eating and drinking and giving thanks to You. Thank You for placing eternity in my heart. What a gift – to realize Your infinite existence apart from this temporal world.
More Praise
Lord, I praise You as the One who longs to see me enjoy my life while I am alive on this planet. You long to see me laugh, eat, drink, and dance! And to smile as I commute to work each day! I praise You as the God who works, who is not idle. I do not understand Your work, but I know it includes answering prayers. Let this one be answered in a way that brings You glory.
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: This Jesus the Nazarene was a man pointed out to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through Him, just as you yourselves know. Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him. God raised Him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. Acts 2:22-25
I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me. When I turned I saw seven gold lampstands, and among the lampstands was One like the Son of Man, dressed in a long robe and with a gold sash wrapped around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool – white as snow – and His eyes like a fiery flame. His feet were like fine bronze as it is fired in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of cascading waters. He had seven stars in His right hand; a sharp double-edged sword came from his mouth, and His face was shining like the sun at midday. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. He laid His right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look – I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. Revelation 1:12-18
My words…
Praise
Praise and adoration to the God who makes a tomb the setting for the single most transformative event in history. But it makes perfect sense. What other place draws the living and the dead together in one place? It was a part of Your plan that Jesus die. Really die. Jesus’ body was lovingly placed in a rich man’s tomb, closed off from the living by a boulder. You watched as Satan and his angels pumped their fists in celebration. Too bad for them their party was short-lived; it was also part of Your plan that Jesus would not hang out in the tomb for long. Luke tells me You raised Him up because death, for Jesus, was painful. Not just the act of dying, but the act of being dead. It pained Jesus to be apart from the living. It pained the living to be apart from Him. It was as if creation was off kilter while Jesus remained in the tomb. A boulder was no match when placed up against Your plan. Even a boulder the size of the planet Jupiter could not contain Your glory. Not possible. The name of Jesus is not associated with death. Jesus is life. Jesus is freedom. I rejoice that the only body held captive by Joseph’s tomb was Joseph’s.
Prayer for me
Lord, I fear, over time, my spirit has been worn down, like water flowing over a rough stone, wearing it smooth. Jesus, the Son of God, died and is now alive. Heard it a thousand times before. My spirit does not always awaken like the spring blossoms, lifting their petals to heaven in a show of praise. I have spent more time Easter shopping than I have Easter rejoicing. Help me rejoice in the fact that Jesus’ tomb never smelled of decay, for Your body did not lie there long enough! Remind me of the joy that Mary felt when she found the tomb empty. Pierce my worn spirit so the dazzling glory of the risen Christ will illumine every crevice of my heart.
Forgive me
Forgive me when I disregard or take for granted the one glorious event performed on my behalf to ensure my spirit will not remain in a tomb but will be lifted up one day.
Prayer for Others
Father, today, on this Resurrection Day, I pray for those who at one time believed in You, believed in Your resurrection and what it stood for, but they have turned their hearts away from the empty tomb and now walk their own paths. They lost something (or perhaps someone) and in the melee lost their faith as well. I know so many of these wayward souls, and my heart breaks for them. You see every wayward soul – how Your heart must ache. Refresh their hearts with a glimpse of the empty tomb. Resurrect them, Lord!
Thanksgiving
Lord, I share in the gratitude expressed by a woman from India who shared with me her journey to find You. She worshiped the idol gods of India throughout her childhood and adolescence. She slept on the steps of the temple, praying to the gods for spiritual fulfillment on earth and beyond. But the more she learned of these gods, the more she determined they were not gods at all. She went home and reasoned that god was dead. But You saw her and heard her and sent a servant to speak with her. He knocked on her door, but she refused to listen. But when he said (through the door) he worshiped a “living” God, she opened her door to hear more. You did the rest. She found her God who lives, who hears, who moves on this earth and beyond. And she dedicated her life to You as thanksgiving. Words are not enough. All that I do in Your name I dedicate to You as thanksgiving.
More Praise
Oh, to see You as John saw You in Your revelation to him! Head and hair white like snow, fiery eyes, feet like bronze. And Your voice, like cascading waters! But even more magnificent, Your words, “I am alive forever and ever.” Six words that shower Hope on all who have gone before, all who are now, and all who will be. Eternal comfort for those who believe. And what’s that You’re holding in Your hand? The keys of death and Hades. Since You defeated death through the single greatest act of love in history, You, and only You, are worthy to hold those keys. Like John, I fall at the feet of the First and the Last – the Living One. Hallelujah! You are risen!
