Father, this morning I come humbly into Your presence, for I must ask for forgiveness. I realize that You are to be my focus. Everything else I do in my life must be filtered through You. For only You can give true perspective. Even wonderful gifts from Your bounteous hand can become distractions. Too many times in the last few days have I invested so much time and effort and energy into good things that I have stayed up much later than usual and then I have not been rested enough to rise and spend time with You. This is only the second time in the last 5 days I have been with You at this important time. I neglect our time together and in doing so my defenses drop and my heart is more easily turned from You. And Father, even a little bit is too much. Just looking over a slippery slope I put myself in danger Father, forgive me. Help me to keep my eyes on You; to not neglect our time together. I am weak and sickeningly vulnerable. Only in You can I be strong. Thank You, Father! May it be so. Amen!

Colossians 3:22-4:1 (<<click here)

Lord, in all I say or do I must be accountable to You. At my full-time job, they may be paying me but if put all my efforts into working for You and doing what is pleasing to You, then my employer will get much more in return for their investment. I will be more productive, more conscientious about how I use my time, much less apt to complain. I pray I will do my best so as to please You.

As a department supervisor, I am also responsible for people working under me. Enable me to treat them fairly, with understanding and compassion – to be patient and kind. Help me to treat them as I want to be treated.

And these precepts apply not just to that job but to my work in the church and my responsibility as husband and father. And while we are here it should also overflow into my interactions with people I encounter in the ebb and flow of my life.

Lord, when I strive to serve You – and in reality that translates to love You – everyone wins! Loving You with all that I am enables You to touch the world through me.

July 1st, Wed, 5:52 am