Lord God, the days drag on and I seem to grow more and more weary with each passing day. My body and my life is on a slow decline. I do not feel as though the “golden years” are coming. I feel like I missed the golden years; maybe they don’t even exist. Each day I wake up and go to work. I go about my business. And by days’ end I am exhausted and worn out, down to the ones. Each day has trouble of its own. Sometimes I am the maker of the trouble. Other times trouble comes to me. And at still other times I walk into that trouble. I can’t escape it. Lord God, I’m so tired and worn out by all this toil and trouble. Lord God, satisfy me this morning with your unfailing and steadfast love. There is nothing else that will do. Food doesn’t fill the empty in my heart. Work doesn’t satisfy even when I enjoy what I do. Even relationships with other people let me down. But you don’t! Satisfy me this morning with your love that does not pass away or change. I am slowly passing away. But you are not. And your love for me is not. It is not like the morning mist – here, then gone. It is not like food on my plate – here, then gone. It remains from day to day the same. It is new each morning. O Lord God, great is your faithfulness. O Lord God, dear Father in heaven, great is your love for me. Make me glad today not with circumstances, but with you and with your love. Your grace and your love is enough for me. Make me glad today to work for you and to serve you, even when it seems pointless, even when this day is full of toil and trouble. Make me glad today to know you, to know your love and to be loved by you. Amen.
Treasures Old and New
Matthew 13:52 – Therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.
O Holy Spirit, you have given us your Word for our learning. You have inspired every word of it that we might be saved, that we might instructed, corrected, rebuked, encouraged and even equipped for lives of service. It is perfect and sufficient in every way. It is a well that never runs dry and has no bottom. I will never be able to get to the bottom of it and fathom the depth and the riches of all that your Word contains. I pray, continue to amaze me with the things I already know. Keep me from getting tired of the simple, Sunday-school truths that I have heard from little on. Instead, make them to me like fine wine or aged scotch – better with age, richer and more full of meaning to me and my soul. And then, keep running into your storeroom to bring out new riches day after day. Continue to open your Word to me that I might see the wonderful things that you have inspired and given to me all along. Keep me from walking down my own paths and seeing things that aren’t really there. But, instead, give me fresh insights into the depths of your Word as I go further up and further into the revelation of your nature, your will, your way, and your works for me and my salvation. Make your Word sweet to my taste as you bring out treasures old and new for me. And then, make me a capable and wise teachers who brings the same to the people in my life – to my family, my wife, my children, my neighbors and my church. Amen.
Uncovered
Matthew 13:35 – This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophets: I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the creation of the world.
Lord Jesus, I’m so thankful that you have spoken otherwise I would know nothing and could be sure of nothing. The things that you make known to me in the parables and throughout the rest of Scripture reveal things that I would never come up, nor would the wisest man. Your way of saving the human race is so far outside the realm of my thought process that I would never even imagine it, much less think it a good plan. The corruption of the human nature and the fullness infiltration of sin into the human world and experience likewise is far deeper than I would have ever known. It is so much worse then I would guess just by looking at things. Most of all, dear Father, I would never know about your true nature and your true charactertistics were it not made known through the Scriptures. Your Word is such a gift to me and to all the world. Lord Jesus, I pray, continue to send your Spirit to me and on me that I might have a deeper and deeper yearning for your Word. Help me never tire of the richness and the depth and the fullness of your precious word. Make me always a student of your Word, seeking to mine the depths of it. And then, make me an able teacher of your Word who brings out of your Word new things as well as old. For me as well as for all those whom I teach, your Word is the thing that makes you, your nature, your will, and your salvation known. Amen.
Watch your mouth.
Matthew 12:36-37 – I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.
Lord Jesus, this word from you cuts me to the heart because it aims at my heart. The words that come out of my mouth are really coming out of my heart. And so those words are not just sounds and syllables, they are symptoms of a healthy or hurting heart. And it isn’t pretty. My words show a heart that is sick, sinful, and hurting. My words are often hurting because I am hurting. My words are often cold because I am hardened. These are the careless and worthless words that you’re talking about, words for which I will have to give an account. Forgive me, Lord Jesus. Forgive me for my careless, thoughtless, unloving, and hurting words that I speak. Forgive me for the way I lash out with a sharp tongue to hurt and harm and not to help or heal. Forgive me for the sinful thoughts I have that become words. Forgive me for the hurt I harbor in my heart toward others. Forgive me for my thoughts against others. Forgive me and create in me a clean heart, O God. Cleanse me of my sin and create in me a new heart that loves and longs to help and heal anyone and everyone. Teach me to hold my tongue when there is nothing kind, good, loving, or helpful to say. Teach me to use my words, instead, to build up and encourage, to rebuke and correct in a loving way, to console, to comfort, to help and to heal. Teach me to use my words in a way that brings you honor and glory so that everyone may know that I am your child. Put a guard over my mouth, O God, that I may only speak was is good, pleasing and right. Amen.
Mercy wins.
Matthew 12:1-21, 1 Kings 20-22
Matthew 12:7 – I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.
Lord Jesus, I learn so much from watching your ministry and how it matches what you actually do. You spoke truth and you lived by it. You were most concerned about human need – both physical and spiritual. And you were not about to let human rules and ceremonies rule over the needs of broken people who stood around you and came to see you. You made sure your disciples had food for their bellies. You made sure that a soul with a shriveled hand was tended to. You made sure that all who came to you were met with compassion and help. You truly are the one whom Isaiah foretold when he said, “A bruised reed he will not break; and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” Lord Jesus, help me to learn from you so that I might be like you. Give me eyes to see the bruised and the smoldering around me and let nothing keep me from showing mercy to them. Mercy is far more necessary for them than anything else. Help me show mercy to them before meeting my own wants or keeping my own calendar. Help me show mercy to those who need it. Let this be one of my main thoughts and questions throughout the day: How can I show mercy to those who need it today? Lord Jesus, thank you for showing mercy. You didn’t have to. You could have stayed in heaven. That would have been far more comfortable and convenient for you. But you wanted me more. You showed great mercy when you came for me and for the whole human race. Lord Jesus, help me to become uncomfortable and go out of my way to show the same mercy to those I meet. Amen.
Work to be Done
1 Kings 19:15 – And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.”
Lord God, there are too many days on which I feel exactly like Elijah. I grow very discouraged because people aren’t listening, my work seems to be spitting into the wind. Sometimes I even wonder what my purpose is as one day meaninglessly turns into another day without any movement forward. Sometimes I very much feel that it is me against the world, that I’m the only one left, doing life all by myself. I find hope here. I find hope in the way that you help Elijah in his despair and discouragement. You remind him that you aren’t done with him yet. You still have work for him to do and to accomplish. Lord God, these are the promises that raise my spirits, that give me hope, and that spur me on to work another day. You have called me and placed me here at this time and in this place. It is not by accident or coincidence that I live and work here. You have put me here to work for you and for your kingdom. And I am not alone in this work. Not only are you with me, but there is a community of believers whom you have placed around me to pray for me, to walk with me, and to support me as I live my life for you. I am not alone. More than that, because you have called me here and placed me here I have your purpose and your place. In my vocation and calling from you, I find my purpose and my place. This is where you want me to serve. These are the people who want me to serve. These are the things you call me to do. There is work for me to do. I am not just a cog in the machine; I am part of the way that you do your work in the world. I am your mask. Lord, inspire me by your call and by the purpose you give me to get up and go to work today. It is not in vain because you will not let my work fall flat to the ground. Amen.
Justice
Proverbs 13:18-25, Psalm 88-89
Psalm 89:14 – Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; faithful love and truth go before you.
Lord God, there is so much hurt in this world. There is so much that is wrong in this world. Justice sometimes seems to be turned on its head in some many instances. I just shake my head and think, “How is that just?” I often cry out, “God, why don’t you do something?” O God, it is your very nature to work justice. It isn’t just what you do; just is who you are. O God, bring it to pass. Don’t let evil have its way. Don’t let injustice triumph. Defend your people. Defend the innocent. Bring peace so that the gospel might spread and your kingdom may come to so many more people. This is your will. Make it happen, dear Lord. Amen.
Valued
Matthew 10:30 – Fear not, therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows.
Lord Jesus, you are teaching your disciples some tough truths about following you, especially those who want to follow you in full-time ministry. You gave clear instructions to your disciples about what their mission work would entail. You told them what to do and what to expect as they went out. Truthfully, as I read this chapter of Matthew, you placed before them a grim picture of what to expect as they went out into the world. You almost seem to say to them that they would not be valued in the world. And we see that so clearly today. We place a premium value on sports figures and pop stars, but the value we place on pastors and missionaries is sinking in the world’s eyes. Lord God, today I thank you for those who serve me with the gospel. I thank you for those who have devoted their lives to serve me with the gospel. They are your gift to me. I thank you for my church body. I thank you for those who watch over my pastor and guard him from false teaching. I thank you for those who shepherd my pastor, to feed his soul and build him up. I thank you for my pastor. Help all those who devote their lives to public ministry know how valued they are to you. The world may neither receive them nor value them. Sometimes I do not either. But, Lord Jesus, you do. Help them to know their true value is not in how they are treated. Help them to know that their true value is not how their work turns out. Help them to know that their value is assigned to them by you and it is truly great. You assigned a value to them - just as you did to me - that is greater than the life of your own, divine Son! Help them know and rejoice in this valuation from you. Amen.
The world may not assign much value to me and my work, but God has valued me above the life of his own Son.
Broken for the broken-hearted.
Matthew 9:36 – When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Lord Jesus, as you went out about your ministry you were constantly surrounded by people and you always had an agenda for your day. You always knew where you were going and what you were doing. But that didn’t mean you put on your blinders and passed by all the people who crossed by your path without a thought for their eternity. You saw the crowds and your heart broke for them; they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Your agenda never stopped you from seeing those who needed you. It never stopped you from stopping to help the helpless. Lord, I have a plan for today. I have things I need to do, people I need to see, and projects I need to tackle. Give me eyes and a heart like yours, Lord Jesus. Break my heart with what break yours. Keep me from being so concerned about my agenda, that I forget about yours. Keep me from caring about my plans so much that I fail to care for others who need me. Lord Jesus, break my heart with what breaks yours. Make my day, my time, and my work focused on you and your kingdom. Help my calendar and my daily agenda reflect your kingdom goals and your heart’s focus, rather than my kingdom’s goals and my heart’s focus. Lord Jesus, send me out today to care for the broken-hearted. Amen.
No house or home.
Foxes have holes. Birds have nests. But the Son of Man has no pillow.
Matthew 8:19-20 – And a scribe came up to and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Lord Jesus, we long for security and safety. We long for a place to lay our heads, a place to call home. We long for a resting place, a place where we can find refuge. But Lord Jesus, you didn’t have that on this earth. As you went out and about your ministry, you didn’t even have the security that the foxes and sparrows have. You didn’t even have a place to lay your head, while they have, at the very least, holes and nests. But that doesn’t mean that you weren’t security and didn’t have a place to rest your heart. You may not have had a place to rest your head, but you did have a place where you rested your heart. You rested your heart in the bosom of your Father in heaven; in his arms you were secure, safe, and at peace. Like a weaned child in the arms of its mother, so your soul rested in the arms of your Father. Lord Jesus, I am like this scribe. I want to follow you wherever you go. I want to follow wherever you lead. First, help me understand the cost. Help me understand that following you means leaving behind a safety, security and peace in this world. It means taking up my cross, denying myself and my wants, so that I might go where you go. Then, help me rest where you rest. Teach me not to long for rest on a pillow or in a house, though in mercy you may give me those things. Help me find the true Sabbath rest for my soul. Give me rest for my heart on the bosom of my Father. Make my soul like a weaned child in the arms of its mother, content to be with you, content to rest in your arms, finding safety and security there along. A pillow can grant no greater rest than this rest for my soul. Grant it to me, dear Lord. Amen.
Shine.
1 Kings 10:1 – When the Queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.
Lord God, it was obvious to the whole world, even to someone from as far away as Sheba that Solomon had a relationship with the Lord, that he had what he had, did what he did, and accomplished what he did because he was walking with God. It was obvious. Solomon was famous because of the LORD. Solomon lived to make God famous. As I read about him and how the Queen clearly recognized God’s blessings in his reign and accomplishments and I wonder: What will people say about me? What do people know about me and my relationship with the Lord? When the see my online profile and follow me there, what do they see? What do they know? What do people say about me in my vocation and calling of life? What does my family say about me and the way I live, act, parent and husband? When I retire or when I die what will people say at my funeral? I want them to say that he lived a life for the One True God. I want them to say that he was all in and all out living, acting, breathing, deciding because of his relationship with God. I know that this isn’t 100% true. But Lord God, I want it to be. I want it to be so obvious in everything that I think, say, and do that even those who despise me must admit, “He is walking with God.” I want the fruit coming from my life to be so clear that everyone will know, “He follows Jesus.” Forgive me, Lord, for the rotten fruit that falls from my branches. Forgive me, Lord, for the selfish and self-centered thought processes and actions that flow from them. And now, Lord, help me to live in such a way that everyone will know that you are God. Help me to let my light shine in this dark world so that people will praise you, O Father. Amen.
Joy.
1 Kings 8:66 – They blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.
Lord God, heavenly Father, my time in your house was exceptional yesterday. It wasn’t without the devil flying overhead and trying to steal my joy and my time with you. But you prevailed. I heard your Word and it fed me. I heard your forgiveness and it freed me from guilt and shame. I received your Supper and it washed my sins away and reminded me that I am your own. I received your blessing. Now, I enter this week with the confidence that you are by my side and that I am loved by you. Lord God, for all the blessings of worship and the fellowship of God’s people, I praise you. What joy I have in communion with you. What joy I have in communion with all the saints you have gathered at Abiding Faith. What joy I have in our oneness of heart. What joy I have to see more souls added to our number. I celebrate whenever one turns to you in faith. Father, your goodness extends from our house of prayer to my home of sleep. My house, my bed, my food, my clothes, my possessions. They are all abundant blessing from your hand. I thank you, Lord, for the faith that you have granted to my family. I thank you, Lord, for the relationship I share with my immediate family members. Grant us a closer and deeper relationship through the relationship we have with you. Grant us joy and gladness in the time that we spend together playing, praying, and growing together. Lord, grant me joy to know you and to be blessed by you. You have certainly done this for me. Amen.
So Good.
Psalm 84:10 – Better a day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to live in the tents of the wicked.
O God, there is no place I would rather be. The way of the wicked may seem good in the moment, but that’s all the longer that the pleasure lasts. The way of the wicked may seem good during this life, but that’s all the longer that their path might flourish. It won’t last. In fact, you make it clear that the wicked and unbelieving will perish forever. But with you – that’s where I want to be. You shield me with your power and protection, shielding me from the fiery darts of the Evil One and even directing all the evil intents of other people for my good and the good of your church. You daily pour out your blessings on me giving me all that I need, even giving me Jesus and the full forgiveness of all my sin. You give me the victory over all things through baptism, through faith in the resurrection of your Son. I am more than a conqueror through him who loves me that much. O God, it is so good to be with you. I’ll open the door to your house any day. Just let me be near you. Amen.
The Extra Mile
Matthew 5:41 – And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Lord Jesus, give me this kind of above and beyond kind of love. Give me a perfect heart of love like yours. I ask this because it is so hard for me to love like this. It is hard for me to take abuse, verbal or physical, and then take the next step and show them above and beyond love. It is hard for me to grasp the words of Paul to the Corinthians, “Why not rather be wronged?” This kind of love is hard. It’s hard to keep my mouth shut. It’s hard to keep my heart full of love. It’s hard to act in a loving way when my heart is so corrupt. Lord Jesus, first forgive me and cleanse me by your Spirit. Then, pour out your Spirit on me generously so that I might go the extra mile and show love to those who mistreat and abuse me whether with their words or actions. Help me to show this above and beyond kind of love. You’ve shown it to me. You went further than the extra mile. You went the cross only because of your love. By your love for me inspire me to love like this, to go the extra mile. Amen.
Wisdom.
1 Kings 3:7-9 – 7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
Lord God, I find myself in the same shoes as Solomon though I am hardly new at my calling. I find myself as lost and as helpless as I was when I first took up my calling. I find myself seeking as much wisdom, understanding, and insight now as when I first began. In fact, I feel as though I know less now than when I first began. Give me the ability to do my job well. You have called me to it this calling (to pastor, to husband, to father, to be a friend, a neighbor, a counselor, etc.). You have put me here and it was not an accident. You have called me to this vocation and it was no purpose. Give me the skills and the understanding that you want me to have so that I may do it well. Grant me wisdom from Spirit so that I might be able to take up these tasks ably and proficiently. Give me wisdom and skill to do this work. I can’t do it without you. Amen.
Victory
Matthew 4:11 – Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.
Lord Jesus, the devil cannot stand against you. The devil cannot stand against the Word of God. All it took was a word from you and victory came. All it took was a word from you and he had to depart. There is no rebuttal that he can make. There is no response. He must be silent and he must depart from before the Word. Lord Jesus, this reinforces for me the need and necessity to be constantly plugged into you Word so that I can know and identify the lies and temptations of the devil. Your Word also gives me a rebuttal so that I might put him in his place and send him packing with a firm rebuke from your Word. Lord Jesus, pour out your Spirit on me through your Word. Pour him out on me so that I might have a response, so that I might have the strength to resist his temptation. Holy Spirit, help me to remember the truths of the Bible so that I might wield them as a weapon against the devil. And Lord, when he comes with temptations large and small, by your Word and by your power, send him packing. Send him away from me, Lord Jesus. Deliver me from the Evil One. Stand by me because I cannot resist him without you. Amen.
Great Mercy
2 Samuel 24:14 – Then David said to God, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”
Lord God, I’m glad to be in your hands whatever those hands may bring. Creation doesn’t care about me. I’m just part of its cycle. I’m just something to be conqueror. I’m just something to be used. Creation doesn’t care about me. People are about the same. I think about the way the way that I parent my children. Even my best moments of discipline fall short of the loving and merciful discipline you. I don’t always achieve the desired result of discipline. That’s why David made a good choice here. To be under the curse of creation is no place to be. To be under the scourge of men is no good either. But to be under your discipline, Lord, is a good place to be. It may be painful. It may hurt my body or even my spirit. But you, Lord, always do the right thing with the right heart. You discipline me so that I may share in your holiness. You chisel me with your Word that I might be formed according to your likeness. AND you show perfect mercy. You see my suffering under your hand and you delight to show mercy and kindness to me. You pulled back your hand and showed mercy to him and to all Israel. You truly do hate to see your people hurt. Lord, discipline me but only in mercy. Lord, discipline me but don’t punish me. I can’t handle the hell I deserve. Teach me, instruct me, that I might be conformed to your likeness, that I might be like you through and through. Amen.
From sinners for sinners.
Matthew 1:21 – She will bear a son, and you shall give him the name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
Lord Jesus, as I read through your family tree it is shocking who gets to make a claim on you. Your family tree is full of sinners, flagrant sinners, public sinners, secret sinners. Sometimes the sins are downright despicable. It’s shocking really. But you’re showing me a vital truth about your coming into this world. You came from a family tree of sinners, though you were thoroughly without sin. You came from this family tree of sinners and completely associated yourself with us and our sin. You so took on the guilt and shame of my sin that God punished you for it. You came from a family of sinners to save sinners like me. This is so comforting to me in so many ways. This means that you understand the struggles that I have with temptation. Though you did not sin, you certainly struggled with temptation. You understand the frailties of my human flesh. You understand what I struggle with so that you can help me. More than that you fought the frailities of the human flesh and you overcame! You, Lord Jesus, rose from the dead. More than that you overcame every temptation of the Devil to save me! You beat temptation because I cannot and do not. And so through your victory I have victory. Lord Jesus, I am in awe that you would share my humanity and take my sin so that I might have victory. I have no sin because you have taken all of mine. Amen.
Justice for the Oppressed
Proverbs 12:19-28, Psalms 81-83
Psalm 82:1 – God has taken his place in the divine assembly; he judges among the gods.
Lord God, I look around and there is so much injustice and inequality all around. The poor and the homeless are pushed under the carpet as quickly as possible. The helpless have precious few people to speak for them and advocate for their proper care and treatment. Justice is perverted for a bribe or a favor. Leaders and officials sometimes look the other way. We still haven’t stopped treated each other with prejudice whether it is racial prejudice, social prejudice, or any other kind of lovelessness. It’s bad God! You know. Rise up, Lord! Defend those who cannot defend themselves. Provide a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. Send advocates to those who have no one to advocate for them. Rise up, Lord, and help the helpless. Be a Father for the fatherless and a Husband for the widows. Be a Defender for the defenseless and and Advocate for the voiceless. Use me, Lord, as you see fit to bring your help, healing and justice to this broken world. Amen.
No hindrance.
Acts 28, 2 Samuel 19:9 – 20:26
Acts 28:30-31 – He lived there… proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the LORD Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
O God, in heaven, it would have been easy for Paul to get discouraged under house arrest. It would have been easy for him to mope around. But he didn’t. He made the best of the life that you, God, had given him and went about business as usual – at least, as usual as it could be. Lord God, I’m thankful for the freedom that I have to share the Word. I am free to go about anywhere to preach and teach the gospel. There is no one holding me back or stopping me. I’m thankful for the callings you’ve given me in which I can share your word. I can share it with my wife and my kids. I can share it with people at my church. I can share with the people with whom I work. I can share it with people in my community and neighborhood. God, I ask that you would open doors for the gospel with all people who live in my circles of influence. Satan wants to destroy the gospel and he will do anything to hinder the message. Father, destroy his evil work. And send forth your gospel to rescue souls from his grip. Open up doors and hears for the gospel so that nothing will get in the way. Amen.