Thank offerings

He who sacrifices thank offerings honours me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God.                         Psalm 50.23

There is so much to thank God for, yet there are times when I might be so pre-occupied with a presenting problem that I cannot clearly see the things I could be thankful for. Indeed, there are times when my immediate concerns so overwhelm me that I cannot bring myself to be thankful for anything.

This is perhaps where the sacrifice comes in. I am well aware of the exhortation to praise God at all times and in all circumstances, but I am also too painfully aware of how difficult this sometimes is. Then I need to bring forth the sacrifices, declaring the righteousness, the goodness and the love of God in the midst of any negative focus I might have.

Lord God,

I understand that to praise and thank You is a choice. Right now, it is not a difficult choice for me to make.

I rejoice in You. I thank You for a new day and a new start for life in me today. I sing Your praises. You are wonderful. I feel Your presence with me and I rejoice.

But there are times when I find it difficult to make the choice to thank and honour You. At these times I need help. Your Word assures me that You are always with me and so I ask You to help me at these times. May Your Holy Spirit lead me into that place where I might rest in You – and be thankful.

No problem I can ever face is too big for You. Hallelujah! You are my Lord and my God. You will lead me through. I will fear nothing as I face it with You.

Holy One, I thank You. I honour You with my prayer and praise. Receive these, and me, in Jesus’ Name I ask.                                                                                                           Amen.

Rest found

My soul finds rest in God alone;

my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.                                         Psalm 62.1,2

These are some of my favourite verses in the entire Bible. They bring reassurance and strength. They are saturated with the grace of God. He is my rest and salvation. He is my rock and my fortress. In him I am safe. In him I am secure. In him I can relax, rest and be refreshed and renewed.

And all this is His doing. My part is simply to receive. As I give myself to him, He releases His strength and comfort, and I move into the fulfilment of who I am in His full and perfect will.

I embrace this. I take firm hold of it and know that I will never be shaken.

  

Lord God,

I come to You in full surrender. I will find the rest that I need in You and I thank You for this. Your rest will sustain, refresh and strengthen me. This is where I would abide. Whether I am active or restive, I desire Your rest to enfold me. Thank You, Lord.

My salvation is in Your hands. I offer myself freely to any purpose you may have for me to fulfil. Take me and have Your way.

I pray for the adventure before us today. I don’t know where You might take me. It may not be far physically, yet the spiritual journey, I know, will be an exciting one. Lead me, Lord, I’m here to travel with You. May we enjoy each other’s company as the day unfolds.

Receive me, and my love, in Jesus’ Name I ask.                                                         Amen.

Little children

And he said, I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”               Matt. 18.3

Here, Jesus gives the key to eternity – entry as a little child. What might He mean by this? I think He gives the answer in the following two verses:

“Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

“ And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Matt. 18.4,5)

The humility of a child is a wondrous thing. It is trusting and unpretentious, naive but not servile.

Jesus says two things clearly here. First, I am to be like a child – humble, trusting and innocent, but without a menial demeanour. Secondly, I am to welcome and embrace others who are like this for, in doing so, I welcome Jesus Himself. This is most telling. This is how Jesus is. The Gospels ring out with the humility and compassion of our wonderful Saviour, but there is a most gracious dignity in all He was and did. And He imbued dignity in others (consider the man of the Gerasenes who was healed of demon-possession, esp. Luke 8.35).

Jesus said, “Follow me.” I want to follow Him and be as He was.

Lord Jesus,

I thank You endlessly for the supreme sacrifice You made for me. I thank You also for the example You set when You walked on this earth.

I want to follow You, Lord. Please help me to be as the children You talk of in this passage.

Lead me into true humility without servility. Let me be naive yet wise, trusting You in all things, and unpretentious in my ways. Allow me to see, accept and appreciate others who walk like You, and may I witness to You in these things through the power of the Holy Spirit.                                                                                                                          Amen.

The wedding banquet

Then he said to his servants, “The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.”   

                                                                                       Matt.22.8, 9

Jesus is talking about the Kingdom of Heaven and using the illustration of a wedding banquet prepared by a king. It’s easy to understand that the feast would be lavish and only the very best of people would have been invited. Yet they did not come. Instead the king sent his servants into the streets to invite anyone available and wishing to come.

This perspective truly questions our understanding of the invited guests. Were they really “the best”? The Kingdom of Heaven is open to all. All, that is, who will accept the invitation of the King. And how does His invitation read?

It is quite simple. He says, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near. Come to me as little children.”

Lord God,

I thank You for Your love that invites everyone into the Kingdom of Heaven. I thank You for Jesus who opens the way. I thank You for that time when You stopped, turned to me, and extended a personal invitation into Your realm.

I pray for those who still stand on the street corners. Some are filled with their own schemes and priorities. Some wander aimlessly through the streets of life without direction or purpose. All need Jesus. Lord God, hear my cry for each one of them. Receive my prayer for their salvation. Move in Heaven and move upon earth using whatever resources and means are needed to reach these people with the good news of salvation.

I would be used by You. I am available to be a true witness to Jesus, but I need Your Spirit. It is neither by might nor power, but by Your Spirit that the work is done. Dear Lord, fill me to overflowing with Your Spirit. Lead me into kingdom work. Use me, as You will, I’m available.

Hear my plea and prayer, in Jesus’ Name I ask.                                                                Amen.

Power and protection

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.      Psalm 28.7

The power I need comes from the Lord God. He is my protection. Indeed, He is all I need and want.

I can agree with the psalmist that my heart trusts in Him. I truly believe there is no problem with this. But my head does not always align with the truth of my heart. My head will often, perhaps too often, look at the existing situation and the natural context and environment and be totally influenced by what it sees. My head will discard those two truths that God has been so wanting me to take hold of with all my being: Nothing is impossible for God, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This is God’s reality. The workings of my mind in looking at, and being influenced by, the worldly view of what confronts me are to be shunned, ignored, and replaced by the greater spiritual reality that God is my all. He is my provider and protector, I need nothing else when I am truly in Him.

In this truth my heart leaps for joy. As I live in the glorious reality of who I am in Him, I cannot fail to give Him thanks, loud and long, with my heart and with my voice.

God is my way. He is everything – the morning light, the brightness of the day, and the restfulness of the night. He is peace, peace in all things. In him I am secure. In Him I am equipped for all that He asks of me, all that He would have me do for Him.

Right now my heart leaps within me. I rejoice with a song of praise and glory. I am filled with hope and expectation. I embrace my Lord God with all of my being, rejoicing in His wonderful Being, and in who I am in Him.

Lord God,

Glorious One, Mighty and Loving Father, Gracious Provider and Protector,

I love You, Lord, my King and my Dad. You truly are everything to me. My heart sings out today in outrageous praise and thanksgiving. Receive all I have to offer. Receive me please, gladly and joyfully. I commit myself wholly, and whole-heartedly, to You. Quite simply, I just want to serve You. And so, I will journey into this day believing for Your guidance, provision and protection. I will embrace what You send and rejoice in what befalls. Hopefully I will honour You and bring true worship in all that I do. Receive this, my humble and sincere prayer, in Jesus’ Name.                                                                                       Amen.