Father, I am so grateful for Your presence in my daily life. It is wonderful to hear You and to act upon Your direction…but those times seem few and far between. And Father, I know it’s not that You don’t speak – it is that I don’t listen, and I don’t feel that I am ignoring You for the most part, but it’s the fact I am so caught up in the routines of life that I don’t hear You. Father, my heart’s desire is to hear You. Draw me closer to Your heart. Tune my heartstrings so that they resonate with Your words when You speak.
1 Timothy 4:16 (<<click here to read the passage)
What an admonition this is, O Lord!
“Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.”
Lord, I feel pretty strongly about what I believe to be true, and it is essential that I do so. But, Lord, I would plead with You that I would always be true to You. Please help me to never move beyond correction. It is weighty enough to think how erroneous belief on my part could jeopardize our relationship, Lord, but if what I held to be true was wrong and I taught that to be true, how many others could possibly be led astray? O Lord, help me to stay true – do whatever it takes to bring me in line if I ever hold to a lie or, for that matter, even if I am treading on shaky ground. As a shepherd of Your flock, help me to be ever attentive to You, the Great Shepherd of Your people.
And, Lord, it’s easy just to apply this to a pulpit mindset, but it needs to encompass every part of my life. I have just as much responsibility to my family, friends, and work associates as I do my churches.
In my prayer time, a hymn came to mind, and it keeps coming back to me. “Come, Thou fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing that grace…” Lord, please keep me in perfect harmony with You so I may truly and clearly proclaim Your grace to all!
(Sept 15th, 2015, Tue, 6:24 am)
Sept 3rd, 2024, Tues, 12:55 pm
