Dear Heavenly Father, we praise your Most Holy Name. We thank you for giving us strength when we are weak, and filling our hearts with songs of adoration. We thank you for rescuing us over and over and never tiring of it. Your joy is in knowing and loving us in all ways. As a good father thoughtfully cares for and provides for his children, as a mother sacrifices herself to love her precious ones, as a shepherd lovingly and tenderly cares for his sheep, and a gardener cares for his garden and makes it thrive and grow until it is beautiful, so you love us and care for our every need, big and small, and we praise you.
You rescue us when we need rescuing, and indeed you have rescued our very souls. You have saved us from the fiery pit and planted our feet on the rock of our salvation – our Lord Jesus Christ. We honor and glorify you above all. You are our salvation and we praise you and will sing of your love forever. May our lives and our very breath glorify you without ceasing. May our lives exude praise and glory and confidence in our Precious LORD. Help us cling to you in the coming week, never hesitating to bring to you our cares, trusting you to love us, to care for us, to rescue us, over and over. In the sovereign name of Jesus we pray, amen.
Today in the United States we observe the National Day of Prayer. It’s a time to remember our nation and lift it up before the Lord in humility and solemnity.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the headlines and know our country needs prayer. We need it bad. I hope we will take this opportunity to first confess our own sins, and repent, that is, turn around and go in the direction of Christ in every area of our lives.
To follow Him, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” and then to show we do as we “love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27
Will anything change until we do?
If our country is to be illuminated with Christ’s love and truth, if we desire to live in peace and dignity, we must pray for it, and then live it.
Heavenly Father, praise your Holy Name. Please forgive me for my sin of pride and letting fear sometimes dictate my way. Fill me anew with your Spirit and a fresh vision and passion to follow you, to consume your Word as my spiritual food, and allow your purposes to be accomplished in and through me. I pray for revival throughout our country including those in our leadership at every level. May your Spirit sweep over our land once again, opening the eyes of those who have been blinded, gifting untold numbers with faith to believe in you, to receive you, and to be transformed by your Holy Spirit. May we be overcome with your love and goodness that leads us to repentance. Thank you in advance for what you’re going to do. You are the faithful One, the Good Shepherd, the One full of grace and mercy. May you be glorified and magnified. In the Name of Jesus, the Christ, our Messiah and Redeemer, amen.
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:1-20
Maybe you’ve somehow stumbled onto this page, and you’re lost. You’re searching. You know you need God but you’re afraid. Afraid He won’t take you. Afraid of what you’ve done. Afraid you’re too far gone.
My friend, I promise you, God promises you, you are not too far gone.
Maybe you knew Christ at one point a long time ago. Maybe it was just last week. But you’ve done something, and you can’t face Him. You’re afraid, too. Surely He’ll punish you, you think. Surely He’s ashamed of you, disappointed in you. You can’t go back.
My friend, you can.
Whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, get this –
God loves you.
And He is willing at this very moment to forgive you and receive you.
Come to Him, no matter what you’ve done. Come to Him with your sin; come to Him with your wretchedness, your weakness, your guilt. Come to Him, like the prodigal child.
He is there, waiting with His arms open wide to receive you right here, right now, to forgive you, to love you, to welcome you back with no reservation. With no condemnation.
That is how great He is, how great His love and mercy and forgiveness. Whatever it is, it’s all been paid for on the cross.
Just come. And let the chains fall.
If you need prayer, I would be honored to pray for you. Simply email me by clicking on the envelope to the far right of the Facebook icon to the right.
May you bask in the glory of the Risen One, the One Who paid it all.
“The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted by God my Savior!” Psalm 18:46
Father, we praise you for our salvation. Jesus and Jesus alone is our Savior. Please lead us this week, and help us follow You wherever you go. Give us strength and courage, and may You be glorified and exalted by our obedience. In Jesus’ great name we pray, amen.
