Sometimes my bed feels awfully good but more and more I just don’t want to miss this time with You, Father! May this always be the case; that is my heartfelt prayer!! I need this time together, I am dependent on it! Please, Father help me to make the most of it. Speak to me and help me hear Your direction, help me to act on it, help me to retain Your Word, help it to be something that infuses my day, please help it to impact everything else I do , say or think! Father, I am Yours to use as You will. I hold nothing back! Thank You, Father!
Ephesians 6:1-4 (<- click here)
Lord, this passage speaks to me on two fronts this morning, first honoring parents. My New Living Translation Application Study Bible notes say that “honoring” means to respect and love. With my parents – no problem but looking at other people’s parents – it’s much more complicated. And being a pastor and working in retail I see all kinds of parents. The dynamics of other couple’s relationships affects my perception of them. And of course, that can directly affect my relationships, too. The only way for me to address this mindset is to plead with You to allow me to see other couples through Your eyes. To love them, as You do. If that means I need to address certain aspects of their relationship – so be it. If that means I say nothing – then so be it. Lord, help me to be what You want me to be in my relationship with them. Also, change how I respond in my relationships in that regard as well; help me to not be negative about other people’s relationships when interacting in my personal relationships. Quite often people I love know what it’s like and don’t need me literally adding insult to injury – help me to pray for others when situations arise and to let those I love know that that will be my course of action from now on, with Your help and direction.
Secondly, I owe Massey an apology. It’s weird but two things stick in my mind as I read about not “provoking” him – RISK and matches. He and I have talked of this some but I need to make sure they are addressed from a spiritual perspective in regards to my relationship with him. I know my actions had a direct influence on him – they have in part, made him who he is. To a certain extent that might have had a positive reaction but more so it has probably affected him adversely. What’s been done can’t be undone but Lord, please, help me to continue to improve our relationship (which You have already done great things for several years!) and only if and when You direct, please help me to address these failing of my fathering.
May 7th, Thurs, 6:09 am
