Daily Devotion for February 28, 2016
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.
This beautiful setting of today’s Scripture is written and performed by Stuart Townsend.
For the Spirit of Prayer
Almighty God, who pours out the spirit of grace and of supplication to all who ask for it; Deliver me, when I draw near to you, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, so that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections, I may worship You in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
“A Beautiful Prayer”
I asked God to take away my habit.
God said, No.
It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up.
I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole,
his body is only temporary.
I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No.
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is learned.
I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No.
I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.
I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.
I asked God for all things that I might enjoy life.
God said, No.
I will give you life,
so that you may enjoy all things.
I asked God to help me love others,
as much as he loves me.
God Said...
“Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.”
Prayer for True Thought
Heavenly Father, who has given us the gift of your law, so that we might know our sin, and your Son, that we might be forgiven where we fall short. Give me the grace to remember your holy Word, when my surroundings tempt me to confusion and weakness, that I might more nearly approach true obedience to your will. Help me to resist the arguments of the ungodly; let me not be deceived by false beauty; and so guide me, that the clever words of men will never replace the truth which you have put into my heart. Through Christ I pray,
Dedication to Service
Now, oh heavenly Father, I ask to be called as a witness to your love by the love I extend to others; a precursor of your justice by my unfailing commitment to what is right and good; a lamp set on a hill, reflecting the light of Christ in my forgiveness, mercy and compassion; and a harvester of souls through my humble and dedicated servanthood. In Jesus' name, I pray,
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.
Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)
The Lord bless you, and keep you:
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.
Psalm 23 (King James Version)
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil;
My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Notes on the Scripture
Worry and Anxiety
This famous psalm is most often said at funerals. Yet, it is a message for the living. You have nothing to fear from evil.
When you have chosen to live in God's house, God Himself will take you under his ultimate protection. Christians (including Christ) certainly suffer the evils of the world: poverty and bankrutcy, violence, loss of loved ones, disease, and death. But we know that, no matter how painful a moment may be, it will end soon enough; there is heaven ahead of us. God prepares a table before us in the very presence of our enemies; even at the moment someone does something terrible to us, God is preparing great happiness for us.
While still on earth, though, we can eat ourselves alive with worry. I remember some time ago, while 59-year-old Greg Norman was — unbelievably — leading after the third round of the British Open, a tournament that he was only grudgingly allowed to play in because of his age. When asked how he could do so well, a commentator gave one of the reasons: "Greg accepts his shots." The course was very harsh, with high winds and knee-high grass in the rough, but Norman would never worry about the shot he had just made, no matter how badly it had gone. He would concentrate on the task before him, making his next shot. He was able to outplay the world's greatest golfers in the prime of their athletic vigor, because he did not spend energy bemoaning what had befallen him, or worrying about other players and holes to come.
The Bible tells us, again and again, that "the evil of the day is sufficient unto itself". We must take David's psalm deep into our heart. God is going to take care of us. Our cups overflow with wonderful things, if we can just see what we do have instead of what we don't have. We must set anxiety about the future, and bitterness about the past, aside; our job is to meet the challenges of the day, in full knowledge and utter confidence that God's reward will come.
