Daily Devotion for February 26, 2010
Prayers
Scripture
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Prayer for the Morning
Oh Lord, most heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who has safely brought me to the beginning of this day; I give you thanks for my creation, preservation, and all the blessings of my life. Grant that this day I fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all my doings, being governed by your will, may be righteous in your sight. Through Christ our Lord, I pray.
Psalm 67
that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.
God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Community of Prayer
Heavenly Lord, I know I am not alone saying these prayers or reading your Word this morning, but many people unknown to me, from all stations of life, have joined together in this brief moment of devotion. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be among the community of all who pray in the name of Christ this morning, and remain among us always.
Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.
1 Samuel 3 (abridged)1 Samuel 3 (abridged)
The Lord Speaks to Samuel
The boy Samuel ministered to the Lord before Eli. The word of the Lord was rare and precious in those days; there was no frequent or widely spread vision.
Eli, whose eyesight had dimmed so that he could hardly see, had lain down for the night. The lamp of God had not yet gone out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was kept, and Samuel was also lying down, when the Lord called, "Samuel!" He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me". But Eli told him, "I did not call you; lie down again." So he went and lay down. Again the Lord called him, and again he went to Eli, who sent him back to bed. For the Lord had not yet revealed his word to Samuel.
When the Lord called Samuel a third time, Eli told him, "Go, lie down. And if He calls you, you shall say, Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening." And the Lord came and stood and called as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel answered, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening."
The Lord told Samuel, "I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of all who hear it shall burn. Soon I will do all that I have warned concerning Eli and his house, from beginning to end. I will judge and punish his house forever. He has tolerated iniquity; his sons cursed themselves (blaspheming God) and he did not restrain them. Therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that their iniquity will not be purged with sacrifice or offering; never shall it be be atoned or purged."
Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the Lord's house, afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and asked him: "What is it He told you? Pray do not hide it from me." So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing. And Eli said, "It is the Lord; let Him do what seems good to Him."
Samuel grew; the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground (i.e. Samuel never spoke falsely). All Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was a true prophet of the Lord. And the Lord continued to appear in Shiloh and reveal Himself to Samuel through his word.
