His gift

They cried out in a loud voice, saying,

“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne,

and to the Lamb!”                                                      Rev. 7.10

Hallelujah! Indeed salvation belongs to God and to Jesus. Jesus extinguished the debt of our sins to God.

What amazing grace we live under. God loves us so much that He came Himself in human form to pay the price required in order that we might be restored to Him.

We cannot decide who will get saved and when, but we can be ready to accept this wonderful free gift when our gracious God offer it to us.

I rejoice that God has already extended the gift of salvation to me. I also rejoice that I am able to come before Him with prayer and supplication, and I do that now, with a humble request that He prepare those I love and care for, to be ready when the gift of salvation is offered to them.

Lord God,

Again I come before You with rejoicing – rejoicing that I have a wonderful relationship with You, and rejoicing that I can come to You with earnest and sincere requests for the gift of salvation for my loved ones.

I pray for those who don’t presently walk with Jesus. I include family members, neighbours, friends and acquaintances. I am so wanting them all to know You, to savour and enjoy the wonderful love and intimacy that come from relationship with You.

Hear my cry, lord. This gift is just too much for me to keep to myself. Help me, Lord, to share it with all that I know!

I praise You. I worship You.

            I rejoice in who I am in You.  

I commit those I know to Your loving care, in Jesus’ name.                           Amen.

Unlikely blessing

He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.              Gen. 12.16

The story of Abram is amazing, yet it is just one of many remarkable stories in God’s dealings with His people.

Before even leaving Mesopotamia, God had spoken to Abram, telling him to leave all he was familiar with and comfortable in for an unknown destination. God’s promise was to make Abram into a great nation and to bless him.

Abram had left Mesopotamia with his father, Terah, and other members of the family. They had settled at Haran, a pagan place which doubtless suited Terah as he was on idolater. He died there, and then Abram and the rest of his family moved on. But we read that they had accumulated possessions and acquired people in Haran. There are indications of a significant measure of wealth for Abram and, undoubtedly, some if not all of this wealth had come to them while they sojourned in the pagan place of Haran.

After a time in Canaan, famine drove them to Egypt. Here, because of her beauty, and fearful of punishment as her husband, Abram passed Sarai off as his sister. She was taken into Pharaoh’s palace, and Abram was given many gifts. Pharaoh, however, discerned the truth when God inflicted serious disease on him and his family. Pharaoh released Sarai to Abram and sent him on his way with his wife and everything he had (v20).

God blessed Abram with material provision and the circumstances in which He worked are truly extraordinary. God used a stay in a pagan place and an action of deceit by Abram to bless him with provision and possessions that would set him up with a significant profile among men. It would surely have been more reasonable to expect God to punish, or at least caution or rebuke, Abram in both these instances. Instead God chose to bless him.

I can only say that the ways of the Lord are truly wonderful. I cannot guess what He will do. I would have got it wrong with Abram. I could quite possibly get it wrong for me.

Abram, who became Abraham, was a man of great faith. Indeed, he had to wait an extremely long time for the son God had promised him. Why should I get concerned for a quick answer and speedy action from God? Where is my faith? Abraham “believed” and it was credited to him as righteousness. Let me also believe. Let me believe and not be anxious for God’s move. I must trust Him to move when He will, not when I want it. This is so difficult. Yet, who said faith is easy? I choose the way of faith. I choose to believe God. I choose to release myself into His care, and into His plan and purpose for me. I choose not to get anxious, but to look to him – in everything and for everything. I choose to allow him to be everything to me.

Lord God,

I come to You in humble adoration. You are worthy. I exalt you. I worship and adore You. I ask You to receive my grateful praise, thanksgiving and worship.

I struggle, Lord, in faith. Each time I think I’m growing in faith it gets tested, and dented. But I ever have a choice that I can exercise, and I choose today to confirm my love and commitment to You.

I desire you more than anything else. I come to You and ask you to draw me closer. Let me hear you speak to me. Let me feel the beat of Your heart. Draw me in. I seek greater intimacy. I pray for a deeper, growing desire to know You. I seek revelation and sweet, holy encounters.

You are my everything. Nothing else matters. Hear my prayer. Search my heart. Change anything about me that needs changing. Only let me know You. Let me walk and talk with You. Let me experience the whole of my being in You. I’m desperate for You. I surrender. Take me, Lord, in Jesus’ Name I ask.                                                                                 Amen.

Adorned

I delight greatly in the LORD;

my soul rejoices in my God.  

For he has clothed me with garments of salvation

and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.                                                Isa. 61.10

I am strongly reminded of the righteousness I receive from the Lord and the richness of salvation with which He has clothed me.

The image of the bride and groom is a rich image in joy and grace and love. It captures and encapsulates all that is good.

I have equally as wonderful, if not better, an image of who I am in the Lord. I am loved and valued. I am saved for all eternity.

Lord God,

Thank You for this precious reminder today. I do indeed delight greatly in You. My soul rejoices in who I am in You.

Thank You, O thank You for the garments of salvation. Thank You for the robe of righteousness. As beautiful as a bride and groom appear on their special day, so also do I appear in You.

And I have a special day! This, now, today – and tomorrow, and thereafter – these are all special days. For I have been found by You. You have chosen me. You draw me to Yourself in salvation and righteousness. How precious I am!

Lord God, I do thank You for this reminder. I have need to know this today. I’m sure You knew of my need and provided.

I know I don’t deserve my sweet relationship with You, but You bestow it on me through the love of Jesus.

Thank You, O thank You Lord.                                                                                   Amen.

Needy

For he will deliver the needy who cry out,

the afflicted who have no one to help.

He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.

He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.                      

Psalm 72.12-14

These words are written of the king, I think Solomon. He had great responsibility for a lot of people. He was able to help many people who otherwise would have received no help.

These words move me. They remind me of the many who need help today: the needy who cry out daily; the afflicted who think there in no one to help them. Yet there is help. God is our help and our strength. God is there for all people. He will take pity on the weak and the needy. He will save the needy from death. He will rescue the needy from oppression and violence. For their blood is so precious in his sight, their lives and their living mean so much to Him.

God may choose me to help Him. I pray that He does. I ask daily to see people as He sees them. I pray that He will guide me in this, strengthen me and use me. I would delight to join with Him, to be used by Him in this work.

Lord God,

These words spoken of Solomon remind me so much of Your ministry to the lost, the hurting and the broken. I lift the needy to You, the needy everywhere. I know Your heart is wide open toward them. I pray for a similar heart. I ask, not presumptuously but humbly, that You would allow me to work with You – as a co-worker. I pray that You would use me to minister to the needy. Please show me people as You see them. Empower me to minister Your healing to them, to lead them closer to You.

My delight, sweet Saviour, is to walk with You, and to lead others in that way.

Hear my prayer, and answer me, in Jesus’ name I ask.                     Amen.

God Led

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”                         M’t. 2.22,23

God’s plans may be fulfilled in amazing ways. Joseph’s whole sojourn in Egypt with Mary and the child was God led. Joseph was alerted in a dream to go to Egypt. Likewise in a dream, when the threat in Israel was extinguished by Herod’s death, Joseph was told to return to that land.

But he was fearful of making for Judea, for Archelaus now ruled there. Again, God’s direction came in a dream. In response, Joseph headed for the district of Galilee where he settled in Nazareth. In so doing, he fulfilled the prophets’ words that the Messiah would be a Nazarene.

How wonderful are the ways of God. He is able to see that every detail is fulfilled. I note that Joseph was obedient to what he learned from dreams. He fulfilled his part of God’s plan.

Lord God,

I am aware that I do not always do what is pleasing to You. I am sorry and I ask your forgiveness. I want to go the way You would have me go.

May I know Your cleansing now? Turn me around that I may not go the way of the flesh, but fully embrace the Spirit’s way. You directed Joseph through dreams. I ask for Your clear direction for me. Speak to me, please. Show me the way, and lead me in it.

I believe You have purposes for me to fulfil. May I not get in the way of what You would do. I commit anew from this day. Lead on. I love You. Receive my love, in Jesus’ name.        Amen.