Rest

Mark 6:30-56, Jeremiah 34-36

Mark 6:31 – “Come away with me by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”

Lord God, Father in heaven, I have every reason to rest right now even as I set my mind to go to work today.  I have every reason to set my heart at rest today as I go about my daily work.  Lord God, your power and might is truly amazing.  You created this world in six days and rested on the seventh. You knit me together in my mother’s wombs.  You created me, little ole me, and you are concerned for me.  You care about me and watch over my coming and my going now and forever.  And that’s not all.  My eternity is not in doubt, not even a little bit.  You died on the cross for me and there paid the price for all my sins, that I might be forgiven, that I might be justified and be declared righteous in your sight.  You have done all this for me and still you do more.  You have given me so many gifts and treasures on earth.  Oh God, I can rest and set my heart at ease.  There is no reason for me to worry, to be afraid, to be stressed.  There is no reason for me to fret at all because you are my Father, because you are my God, because you are my Lord. Grant rest to me today while I work. Grant rest to me this weekend as I worship you with my fellow believers. Grant rest to me today and every day. Amen.

Nothing is too hard.

Mark 6:1-29, Jeremiah 32-33

Jeremiah 32:17 – Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and your outstretched arm!  Nothing is too hard for you.

Lord God, you often ask me to believe things that seem impossible from my perspective.  You were asking Jeremiah to step out in faith and trust you to do something that seemed highly unlikely and even impossible. And yet, in this his prayer, he confesses clearly who you are and what you can do. Nothing is too hard for you!  Help me to take you at your word, to trust your promises and your Word. Teach me to step out in faith knowing that you will set my feet on solid ground and you will keep me from falling.  Teach me to trust you with every decision I make and every step I take. Help me to remember that you made it all, that you brought all that exists into being with your powerful world.  Help me to remember that nothing is too hard for you, nothing at all. Grant me faith to trust you even when all that I see seems to be impossible.  Amen.

Tell your Friends.

Mark 5, Jeremiah 29-31

Mark 5:19 – And he…said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

Lord Jesus, this man was set on fire for you.  He had just experienced one of your greatest miracles.  You had cast a legion of demons out of him.  It’s no wonder that he wanted to come with you when you left that area. But your instructions were simple and clear: Go home and tell the people in your life how much God has done for you.  Jesus, I forget this simple instruction so often.  I want to do great things.  I want to sparkle and shine for you.  But your instructions to me are just as simple and clear.  Just go home and tell the people in your life about what I’ve done for you. Go home and tell them about how good I am. Go back and tell your friends and family, your neighbors and relatives about my mercy and grace.  Help me to keep these words in mind as I live my life. Instead of looking beyond my present company to some greater thing, help me see each interaction in this day as an opportunity to talk about your goodness and grace. Give me words and boldness to talk about your goodness with my family, to pray with them and to pray for them, to tell them about how good you are.  Give me words and boldness to talk to strangers, acquaintances, and people I know extremely well.   Fill my heart to overflowing because of your goodness, mercy and grace that I can’t help talking about how much you’ve done for me.  Amen.

Growing

Mark 4, Jeremiah 26-28

Mark 4:26-27 – And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.  He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.”

Lord God, I need to read this parable often.  I need to remember it’s truth.  I need to remember this parable because I often get discouraged about your kingdom and your church on earth.  It doesn’t seem to be doing well.  The gospel doesn’t seem to be working.  Christians pour out the gospel often but it often doesn’t seem to be making a difference.  But this parable tells me differently and reminds me of the truth about your kingdom that often remains hidden.  Your kingdom grows all on its own, whether I’m sleeping or working, whether I’m working or resting.  That’s what your kingdom does because that’s how you work.  Your work and the ways of your kingdom are like the wind.  It blows wherever it wishes; I don’t know where it comes from or where it’s going.  And that’s how your Spirit does his work in the kingdom.  That’s what your Word does.  It doesn’t return to you without accomplishing whatever you desire.  And when it bears fruit and grows up, it is an astounding and glorious thing.  Something completely other grows up.  Where once death reigned, now life reigns.  Where once unbelieved lived, now faith dwells.  This is what your Word does.  This is what you do God. Plant this parable on my heart and help to remember it’s truth.  Amen.

Hammer

Mark 3:20-35, Jeremiah 23-25

Jeremiah 23:28-29 – Let the prophet who has a dream, tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak it faithfully.  What has straw to do with wheat? Declares the Lord.  Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

Lord God, there is nothing at all that is like your Word.  There is nothing more powerful, nothing more transforming, nothing more informing for my mind, my life, my soul.  There is nothing at all in all the world like your Word.  Give me a hunger for it.  Give me a thirst for him.  Keep me from tiring of its timeless message and timely truth.  It’s so easy to grow weary of it, as if I’ve heard it all before and couldn’t learn anything more.  It’s so easy to think that there is something more and something better out there that will really be destiny changing and life altering.  But God, your Word is it.  There is no dream that can compare.  There is no earthly wisdom from the world’s wisest man that can compete.  Your Word is your power and might.  Nothing in heaven or on earth can compare on it. Teach me to treasure.  Teach me to share it. Amen. 

Trials

Proverbs 23:17 – 24:7, Psalm 119:41-80

Psalm 119:54 – Your statutes have been my song in the house of sojourning.

Lord God, I often chafe under discipline.  I chafe under your rebuke. I don’t like it at all, not one little bit.  But Lord God, I see your work in this when I take the time to step back and ponder.  It is during those times of discipline and trouble that I find myself back in your Word.  It is during those times to trial that I cling to your promises more tightly and they become more dear to me.  Lord I am beginning to see, more clearly than ever before, that in trial and discipline you strip away everything from me except your Word so that your Word and your promises is all that I have.  And that’s a good thing.  Your Word filled with your promises is the one thing that will never disappear or disappoint.  You, God, are the one I cling to with all my heart.  Teach me to love trials and to rejoice in them.  They teach me wonderful things.  They teach me to sing of your unchanging and unchangeable promises.  Amen.

Sabbath Rest

Mark 2:18 – 3:19, Jeremiah 20-22

Mark 2:27 – The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Lord Jesus, the weekend is coming.  Worship is coming and that’s a good thing because I’m tired.  I tired from the rat race.  I’m tired from chasing kids around.  I’m tried from the tasks of my callings.  I’m tired; my body is exhausted.  I’m tired in my spirit too.  My spirit needs to be refreshed.  Lord Jesus, that’s why you give us Sabbath rest.  You give it to me every day.  Every day when I wake up and when I lay down, Lord Jesus, I have rest because you remind me that all things are under your power and control; you are, in fact, working all things together for my good.  I have rest because you do good things and you promise to do good things for me and in my life.  As Sunday comes, I can’t wait to hear your Word and to rest in more of your promises.  I can’t wait to eat the food of your Word.  I can’t wait to sing the songs of saints past and present.  I can’t to gather with my fellow believers.  I can’t wait, most of all, dear Lord, to hear you speak about your love, forgiveness and grace to me. These are your gifts to me to give me rest for my body, and, especially for my soul.  Amen.

Sick

Mark 2:1-17, Jeremiah 16-19

Mark 2:17 – And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick.  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Lord Jesus, it’s easy for me to forget how sick I really am.  It’s easy to look around and see people who sinners more or differently than I do.  It’s easy to stand around and look at how I’m going to church while they’re not.  It’s easy to stand around and compare myself with everyone else.  And when I take that perspective I forget how sick I am. But Jesus that’s a dangerous perspective to take and to have.  Lord Jesus, if I don’t know that I’m sick, why would I ever bother to see the doctor.  And worse, Jesus, if I’m not sick, then you’re not for me.  But the truth is Jesus, I am sick. More than I even know. More than I can ever understand.  My pride and my comparison with other people reveals my sickness of pride.  Lord Jesus, show me my pride, my hypocrisy, my sin and my soul sickness. And then, Jesus, heal me.  Heal me with your forgiveness.  Heal me with your righteousness – now there is something to boast about!!  Heal me with your power and your might.  Lord Jesus, you are for me.  I am sick and I need you every day.  Heal me.  Amen.

Trials

Proverbs 23:17 – 24:7, Psalm 119:41-80

Psalm 119:50 – This is my comfort in my affliction, for your word has given me life.

Lord God, I often chafe under discipline.  I chafe under your rebuke. I don’t like it at all, not one little bit.  But Lord God, I see your work in this when I take the time to step back and ponder.  It is during those times of discipline and trouble that I find myself back in your Word.  It is during those times to trial that I cling to your promises more tightly and they become more dear to me.  Lord I am beginning to see, more clearly than ever before, that in trial and discipline you strip away everything from me except your Word so that your Word and your promises is all that I have.  And that’s a good thing.  Your Word filled with your promises is the one thing that will never disappear or disappoint.  You, God, are the one I cling to with all my heart.  Teach me to love trials and to rejoice in them.  They teach me wonderful things.  They teach me to sing of your unchanging and unchangeable promises.  Amen.

The Good Stuff

Mark 1, Jeremiah 13-15

Jeremiah 15:16 – Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

Lord God, there is one thing and one thing alone that gives lasting and true joy and delight to my soul.  Just one thing: your Word.  The longer I live the more I realize and experience how true this is. Lord God, there are so many things in this life that seem to give joy and pleasure.  But it never lasts and never really satisfies.  As quickly as the high of the moment or the high the experience is past, I want more.  And it’s not just that, the high of the moment and the high of the experience passes.  All that seems to give pleasure never really does, not fully anyway, and it never lasts for longer than a moment. Add to the passing nature of pleasures is the reality that there is much pain and suffering in this world, especially as a Christ-follower.  I’m living against the grain and going against the flow in which the rest of the world lives.  This means that much of my life will be struggle against my sinful-self and this sinful world.  And it may even mean hardship and suffering in this sinful world.  Lord God, your word is the one thing that gives true and lasting joy.  Your Word is the one thing that can and will delight my soul.  Your Word satisfies my soul in a way that nothing else can.  It tells me of your love that doesn’t run out and won’t ever fade away.  It tells me of an endless flow of Jesus’ blood that alone can cleanse me of my sin.  Your Word, Father, tells me of you rule in my life to work all things out for my good. Your Word tells me of your purpose and plan for my life, that you let me declare and even live out my life praising you.  Your Word tells me that I am yours and will be yours for all eternity.  Lord, satisfy my soul and give me delight in your Word this morning and all day long.  It alone is my joy and my delight.  Amen.

Refreshed.

Philemon 1, Jeremiah 10-12

Philemon 7 – For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.

Lord Jesus, there is so much joy and comfort that I get from the body of believers.  There is so much rest and refreshment that comes to my eyes and my heart as I ponder their love for me and their love for each other.  Thank you, Lord, for the Christian friends who reach out to call, message, text and even to visit me warm my heart because they made the effort to care about me.  The notes they send give lightness to my heart and lift the frown of stress from my forehead.  The encouragement that the saints offer to each comforts and lightens my heart too.  It gives me so much joy to see the body of believers at work, doing what a body does.  They’re taking care of each other.  Lord Jesus, help me to notice, appreciate and find joy, comfort and even refreshment because of the love that is shown to me and to others within the family of faith.  Amen.

Devoted

Titus 2-3, Jeremiah 7-9

Titus 3:8 – This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.  These things are excellent and profitable for people.

Lord God, my mind doesn’t naturally or normally think this way. I am always reverting back to the old, selfish way.  But, Lord, you have redeemed me from this way of thinking and this way of living.  You have renewed, regenerated and even resurrected me from this spiritual death.  Help me to hold this wondrous truth and live by it. Turn my mind to the good of my neighbor, to the good of those whose path I cross.  Guide me to walk in the good works which you have prepared in advance that I might live in them.  You have set me apart for this, that I might live for you and for others.  Amen.

God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does. – Martin Luther.

Run, Christian, Run.

Proverbs 22:17-29, Proverbs 23:1-16, Psalm 119:1-40

Psalm 119:32 – I will run in the way of your commands, for you have set me heart free!

Lord God, I would love to run with my feet the paths of mountains and valleys, plains and plateaus, but there is so much holding me back. My fitness.  My health.  My physiology.  Even my own desire; I just don’t want to.  That’s the way I feel about you commands.  I want to run in the path of your commands, but there is so much holding me back.  I am held back by guilt and shame for the way I have behaved in the past and how I have failed to measure up to the glory of your commands.  I am held back by the pressure of the expectations; it’s hard to perform under pressure.  I am even held back by my own sinful weakness!  I am so frail, so sinful, so weak.  But Lord, Jesus, your mercies are new this morning.  You have set my heart free from the pressure of expectation by meeting all of God’s expectations for me.  There is nothing I have to do to meet God’s expectations.  They have all already been met.  You have set my heart free from the fear of punishment by suffering my punishment in my place.  There is no more punishment for me.  More!  You have even given me your Holy Spirit to work in me to will and to act according to your good pleasure.  Yes, Lord, I will run because you have set my heart free!  Amen. 

For You.

Titus 1, Jeremiah 5-6

Titus 1:1 – Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness.

Lord God, give me wisdom and focus to know and to do what is good for the souls under my care, whom you have called me to serve.  Make me a parent, a spouse, a servant who holds on to the word and gives them healthy doctrine that benefits their souls.  Make me a parent, a spouse, a servant who gives your truth for the increase of their knowledge so that they might serve you now and forever. Help me to align my life with these things that my whole life might be for the people in my life and for the salvation.  Everything else is extra.  This is why I exist.  I exist for the sake of the people in my life that they might be saved and know the truth.  Help me to keep this as the main thing in my day today.  Amen.

A Good Soldier

2 Timothy 3-4, Jeremiah 1-4

2 Timothy 4:5 – As for you, always be sober minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Lord God, the imagery of Paul’s letter to Timothy is striking.  He speaks to Timothy and to me as if we were soldiers in a war.  And that helps me picture my life for you the way it really is. I am in a spiritual war. I am in a spiritual war fighting to hold on to you and to keep the faith.  I am in a spiritual war fighting for the souls of people in my life.  It will not be peaceful. It will not be easy. It will be hard work.  It will mean suffering.  Lord God, only by your Spirit and only with your help will I be able to do what Paul calls me to do – to keep a clear mind, to endure suffering like a good soldier, to do the work of an evangelist day in and day out, and to do the ministry you’ve given me to do.  I hear his words and I need your help.  Strengthen me by your Spirit to do the work you’ve called me to do. Grant me power from above to do this work, to do it faithfully, firmly, lovingly, carefully, persistently, wisely and strongly. You have called me to it.  Strengthen me for it.  Amen.

Fan the Flame

2 Timothy 1-2, Song of Solomon 5-8

2 Timothy 1:6-7 – For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on have hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and of love and self-control.

O Holy Spirit, you poured yourself out powerfully on me when I was baptized with water and the word.  There you claimed me as you very own. There you washed my sins away and clothed me with the very righteousness of Christ.  Then you removed my heart of stone and gave me a heart of a flesh, a heart that beats for you, O God, a heart that is on fire to serve.  But as time goes on, O Spirit of God, the flame begins to flicker and smolder.  And this isn’t your fault, it’s mine.  I haven’t fanned the flame of faith or the flame of the gifts you given me.  I haven’t fueled the fire of my faith and your gifts with your Word and with your gifts.  O Holy Spirit, come to me today with your gifts of grace and fill me as I meditate on your Word.  Set my heart on fire again and give me the love for you and love for people that once was overflowing from my soul when I first believed in you.  O Holy Spirit, fill me and set me on fire to live with power, with love and with self-control.  Fan my faith into a forest fire that overtakes my whole being that I might live on fire for you.  Amen.

Getting Ahead

1 Timothy 6:3-21, Song of Solomon 1-4

1 Timothy 6:6-7 – Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment for we brought nothing into this world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

Lord, it’s easy to chase things besides you. It’s easy to find meaning, value and worth outside of you and your grace.  Give me a contented heart because of the meaning, value, and worth that you pour into me.  Of and in myself I have not value or meaning. But you value you me because of your love. You value me so much that you gave your Son for me and for the world.  You assign such value to me and you also give meaning and purpose to my life.  More than that, you satisfy me with spiritual riches now and, in the life to come, even more!  Grant me contentment with what you give, Lord.  Grant me contentment in who you declare me to be and what you’ve given me to enjoy.  Amen.

Enjoy Life

1 Timothy 5:1 – 6:2, Ecclesiastes 8-12

Ecclesiastes 9:9 – Enjoy life with your wife whom you love, all the days of your empty life that he has given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

Lord God, help me to enjoy the spouse that you given me, the family whom you have given me.  Help me to enjoy the toil and the sweat from the toil, the work to which you set my hands.  Teach me to enjoy the lot that you give me.  It may not be the lot I long for, but it is the lot that you’ve given me.  And that’s good.  Help me to enjoy today and not look to the future for coming joy.  Today is but a passing shadow and is truly a gift from your hand.  This is the day that you’ve made.  Yes, Lord, this is the day that you’ve given me.  Help me to enjoy it and to ride the wave of this day and this life as the gracious gift that it is.  You have, you do, and you will give me a blessed life.  It’s going to be a good day because everything you give me is good.  Help me to enjoy it.  Amen.

Today. This day. This one.

Proverbs 21:23-31, Proverbs 22:1-16, Psalm 117-118

Psalm 118:24 – This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Lord God, this is your day!  You made it.  The sun is coming up over the horizon and a new day is dawning.  Your grace dawns too.  Your mercies are new for me each morning.  You never change.  You never give up on me.  You made this day for me.  You made me for this day.  You have shaped me by your Word and through your Spirit. I am your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good things today, things that you made for me to do a long time ago.  You have given me time today, 24 hours to be exact.  You have given me exactly enough time to do those good things you prepared ahead of time for me so that I should do them.  This is your day.  You made it for me.  You made me for it.  Keep me from being discouraged when things don’t go the happen the way I planned.  Keep me from being frustrated when I hit roadblocks to my hopes and dreams.  This is your day.  Even sin cannot derail your plans for me.  This is your day. You made it for me.  And you made me for it.  Help me to live in it, to rejoice and be glad.  Amen.

Enjoyment of Life is a Gift

1 Timothy 3-4, Ecclesiastes 4-7

Ecclesiastes 5:18-19 – Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot.  Everyone to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them and to accept his lot and rejoice in his lot – this is a gift of God.

Lord, the most frustrating and exasperating moments in my life come when I do not accept the lot that you have cast into my life.  It leaves me discontented, angry and frustrated with you for not giving me what I think is a good portion and lot.  And this leaves me with a bitter and unhappy life.  But Lord God, when you change my heart so that I simply say, “Whatever you, God, send, this is good.  Whatever work I do today, this is good.  Whatever I am and whatever I have, this is good and is a gift from God,” this is a good thing.  And it sets my heart at rest and gives me joy to live the life that you’ve given me.  Lord, keep me, I pray, from being frustrated at the course of my life and about the things that I can get done and the things that I can’t get done.  Grant me joy to ride the wave of the life that you’ve given me and to enjoy it even if it isn’t exactly the life I would have laid out.  Give me joy to say, “Surfs up,” because this life is from you.  Lord, I pray, grant joy to my heart so that I can enjoy each moment of this day and each day of my life as the gift from you that it is.  Amen.