Daily Devotion for June 1, 2017
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.
In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along;
Where the water’s cool flow bathes the weary one’s feet,
God leads His dear children along.
Refrain:
Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.
Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,
God leads His dear children along;
Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night,
God leads His dear children along.
Though sorrows befall us and evils oppose,
God leads His dear children along;
Through grace we can conquer, defeat all our foes,
God leads His dear children along.
Away from the mire, and away from the clay,
God leads His dear children along;
Away up in glory, eternity’s day,
God leads His dear children along.
Music and Lyrics by George A. Young, 1903
Morning Prayer of (St.) Thérèse of Lisieux
O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of Christ Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to His infinite merits; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of His Merciful Love.
O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in heaven for all Eternity.
Prayer of Trust When We Feel Lost
Lord God, sometimes I feel like a lost child, alone in the woods or on a strange street. I cannot see the road ahead of me. I fear what lies in the shadows.
I have no idea where I am going. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself. And even though I am trying to follow your will, sometimes I can't be sure whether I am or not. Sometimes, I think, I am fooling myself. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you and that you will direct me, even if sometimes I get it wrong.
I hope and pray that I will at least not do anything today that I am certain will displease you, and I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always. Though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my troubles alone.
Meditation
[Have I let God direct me today?]
Benediction
Now all glory to God, who is able to keep me from falling away and will bring me with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time,
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.
Proverbs 15:2 (NKJV)
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.
Genesis 27:21-29 (ESV)
The Story of Isaac [11] - Jacob and Esau
hen Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.”
So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him.
He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.
Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said,
“See, the smell of my son
is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!
May God give you of the dew of heaven
and of the fatness of the earth
and plenty of grain and wine.
Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may your mother's sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”
Notes on the Scripture
As we expected, Rebekah’s plan is a success. Isaac, who is blind, is fooled into thinking that Jacob is his older brother, Esau, and gives Jacob his blessing. To understand the significance of this, remember how long ago this occurred. It is a day and time when writing hardly existed in its most primitive form and there were practically no courts. The giving of a blessing was as significant as taking a wedding vow. And it was, as we will see, irrevocable.
The blessing itself is preserved for us to read, and its content gives us an idea of its significance. No doubt it was something that was learned, rather than something Isaac made up off the top of his head. It is a ritual, in which Isaac first kisses his son and then smells his clothing.
He recites that he has smelled his son, and then gives what we would consider a blessing: He prays, in effect, that Jacob will have rain and crops. But then, when he says “Let peoples serve you,” he indicates that the boy is to have general leadership; and when he says, “Be lord over your brothers,” it is not a wish, but a command or an act of investiture, like a king putting a sword on a knight’s shoulder. Jacob has been declared the head of Isaac’s family.
Finally, Isaac curses anyone who might curse Jacob and blesses anyone who might bless him. This is the authority that Isaac himself took from Abraham; Jacob is to be the rightful head of the family, and those who do not acknowledge him will be outcast.
