Sincere…Deep Love
There is so much that needs to be done today, but I dare not go any further, Father, before sitting down with You. Please, bless our time together. Amen.
1 Peter 1:21-22 (<<click here)
Sincere love. Deep love.
It’s not in my hymnal but one of the first things that popped into my head after reading this passage this morning, Lord, is Dionne Warwick’s song from 1965, “What the World Needs Now Is Love.”
What the world needs now is love sweet love,
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.
What the world needs now is love sweet love,
Not just for some but for everyone.
And more than 50 years later it’s more true than ever. But in all reality, Lord, in this hard as iron, cold as ice, world in which we live, sweet love isn’t going to cut it! What the world needs now (and has always needed!) is sincere love…deep love.
If you’d ask a random person on the street to describe a Christian in one word, I’m afraid very, very few would use the word “love”. Most would use words that we should be ashamed to have any likeness to – hate, self-righteous, bigot, selfish, judgmental…
You Yourself said, Lord, “…I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35
And that’s the only thing that is going to change our world’s view. It’s bad enough that we have earned those monikers. Because we “represent” You, You’ve been labeled, too. And that is so far from the truth.
Lord, may I be of the character to love sincerely, to love deeply for that is Your love. May Your Church take this to heart, change us for Your glory! May we not be fake and shallow any longer. Amen.
Nov 10th, Thurs, 9:32 am
Hear You in the Clamor
In the stillness of this early hour, Father, may I hear Your voice. As Your Word commands, may I be able to “be still and know that [You are} God.” Psalm 46:10 Amen.
Lord, this is surely a big day pregnant with possibilities. No one knows how it will end. No one truly knows with 100% certainty what events will transpire. It will get busier. It will get noisier… but help me “to be still and know that {You are} God.” Help me to listen – not to just barrel ahead on my own. May I stop… and listen.
And, Lord, may I not just be a passive listener. There are a multitude of things to listen to. Just thinking of work, I hear people talking all around me, in my headset, too. I hear music in my area and different music in the Juniors Department. I hear doors opening and closing , children fussing, carts running into fixtures, merchandise falling to the floor, announcements over the PA, PIN pads obnoxiously announcing that it’s time for people to remove their credit cards – it’s an absolute cacophony of sounds! But in the midst of it all, I must stop… and listen… to You…
May I do more than just listen, may I hear Your voice clearly amongst all the clamor. And once I hear, my I act accordingly. May I act according to your will.
Lord, this day is Yours. As we pray so often “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” Mathew 6:10 May that come to fruition this day. No matter what we want may Your “will be done.” Amen.
Nov 8th, Tues, 5:17 am (Election Day )
I Choose You
Father, bless our time together, not just this morning but throughout this day. May I do and say and think what is pleasing to You. Fill me and use me. All I have is Yours. Amen.
1 Peter 1:18-20 (<<click here)
So we chose bondage. We may not have made that initial choice to disobey but none of us is innocent. We all choose every moment if we will obey – we choose bondage – or we choose to accept the ransom paid. And Lord, You paid that ransom. You paid the price in our stead. And that price was death. You shed Your blood for me. You died for me!
As Peter said, “And it was not with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” The sinless for the sinful. The spotless for the deeply stained.
“God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.”
Paul proclaims it as well,
“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Ephesians 1:4
Lord, thank you for Your ultimate sacrifice. You knew the price You would pay. You weren’t forced or coerced into it. You did it because You loved us. You did it so we, in turn, could love You. May I never forget Your love for me. May my love for You guide my every step. I choose You, Lord, for you alone are worthy! Amen.
Nov 6th, Sun, 6:12 am
Enslaved
Thank You, Father, for Your touch. Many times in life things in life can be difficult, painful even, but You make all the difference. Thank You for answered prayer. Thank You for Your love and concern. Amen
1 Peter 1:18-20 (<<click here)
“… God paid a ransom…”
At the very heart of it all, every single one of us – every man and woman ever to be born on this earth – all of us were enslaved from the moment of conception. We had no other alternative to the fact that sin was our master. In and of ourselves, we were powerless. We could not escape. And the wages of our sin is death (Romans 6:23).
Lord, You knew that when given the choice at the very beginning that the first man and woman – who were the only ones given a choice – You knew they would choose themselves over You. They chose sin over an intimate relationship with You. They chose instant gratification over eternal absolute satisfaction. And once that choice was made it could not be undone, not by them, not by any of their descendants throughout the course of time.
But You? You, Lord, made a choice. And that choice was made before any of the world came into being. Before the world was even created, You knew what would be chosen. We were not created as puppets or machines. We were given the power to choose. We could love you…or we could love ourselves.
And because You knew what our choice would be, You set things in place that could set us free from the bondage that was chosen. It looked like freedom but it was enslavement to sin, masquerading as freedom. And what we did, we then could not undo.
But You knew…and the only means of ransom from our bondage was set in motion from before the very beginning.
To be continued…
Nov 5th, Sat, 7:38 am
May It Begin with Me
Father, I’m at it a little later than normal but I am here and ready. My heart and mind are open to what You have for me today.
Lord, it’s taken me a bit to write this morning, not just because I stayed up late and then got up late, but because I have a heavy heart.
Our world is so divided. Some are rejoicing. Some are mourning. Some feel we dodged a bullet. Others feel we took the bullet to the heart.
Lord, I do not care for politics whatsoever. I guess my biggest issue is that it is so divisive. It seems there is so little common ground. We all feel very strongly about so many issues and if you don’t think the way I do – if you don’t agree with me – then you are my enemy.
You proclaimed, Lord,
“You have heard that it is said, ‘Love you neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love you enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:43-45
In the days and months ahead may my love shine brightly for all – because it is Your love flowing through me. May I fervently pray for one and all – even if I don’t agree with them on everything. May I stand in the gap. May I be a voice for the downtrodden, for the minimalized.
Lord, I pray for Your body, the Church. May we follow our Head – may we be diligent. Purify us, break us, change us. May we crucify the flesh and clothe ourselves in Your righteousness…and may it begin with me. Amen.
Nov 9th, Wed, 9:09 am