No matter what is prepared for you today, these words from Philippians are worth remembering.
Philippians 4:6 NKJV — Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
The Lord knows all and He wants us to trust Him, to find our treasure in Him.
Because a bank account or status doesn’t bring security or peace.
Neither do relationships, property, or the nation where one resides.
The only way to be anxious for nothing is to look at Jesus, the Savior.
It’s easy to get tied up in the every day or the list of “to do”, but with practice and persistence it can become a way of life.
Which is where we want to be.
Philippians 4:7 NKJV — and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Definitely a wonderful way to live, in the peace of God.
May it be your residence.
Dear Lord Jesus, Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Lord, You know what is best. You have all these things in Your hands. Please help us to surrender daily to Your will. Please let us not be stubborn or stiff-necked, but instead walk with love and trust. Lord, please help our hearts to be completely Yours. Lord, use our lives to reach others. Let our light shine brightly into the darkness, that people might see You. Lord, please heal the sick and hurting. Please restore the lost and the prodigal. Lord, please guide and direct our leaders and let the hearts of the nations return to You. Thank You, Jesus. You are incredible. I praise Your holy name! love is unfathomable! Amen.
My sweet hubby bought these for me and then planted them in the yard.
I took this picture this morning.
Quickly, as it was just beginning to rain.
As it has done off and on all day.
At one point I didn’t realize it was raining, it was such a gentle mist I hadn’t seen it, but the refreshing smell and gentle dew on my face were like a gift.
The reason being my asthma has been troubling me all day long.
That one short moment I felt as if I could breathe, breathe without hindrance.
When my husband came home this evening he could tell with one look I’ve been struggling today.
We chatted for a little while as he ate.
Among the family business I wanted to share with him something I had noticed.
Two separate times I’d not been feeling well, I had started cleaning the house like it was a do or die kind of job.
I told my husband, upon reflection, I seemed to be counteracting some loss of control with more try.
When what I really needed to do was let it go.
And it wasn’t until the end of the day, right now, I can reflect on how important that is in any circumstance.
When things are causing me anxiety, like not breathing freely, I need to not put in more effort.
Instead, I need to do less, and pray more.
Because I can’t always tell I’m not breathing well.
As weird as it sounds, I sometimes just feel extra jittery, almost like too much caffeine.
My patience is also much reduced and little things, like a few dishes in the sink, can suddenly feel overwhelming.
It can be put in much shorter terms.
I’m stressed.
When stressed, whether due to physical or some other reason, my first response is to take charge and make changes.
Uhg.
Not what Jesus says.
1 Peter 5:6 NKJV — Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
1 Peter 5:7 NKJV — casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
I couldn’t agree more with the call to prayer made by our President.
This world-wide crisis is frightening.
Yet, Jesus is always the answer.
As I began writing a prayer for today my heart kept being drawn back to scripture and a man’s prayer:
Nehemiah 1:5-6 NKJV — And I said: “I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.
Nehemiah 1:7-8 NKJV “We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations;
Nehemiah 1:9 NKJV — ‘but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’
Nehemiah 1:10 NKJV — “Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.
Nehemiah 1:11 NKJV — “O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” For I was the king’s cupbearer.
Obviously, Nehemiah was grieved over the troubles of the Israelites and he knew he had to stand before the king and ask for help.
We are in a similar situation.
My heart is grieved over the huge loss of life and the mass fear. I’m taking today to stand before the King of Kings and ask for help.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for all Your tireless effort to save us, not only from sin, but also from our own rebellious flesh. Lord, we know that Your Word tells us sickness and death are a consequence of sin. It was never a part of Your plans. Yet, because of Your great love You gave us Your Word to save us from the affects of sin, if we would only follow. Lord, You know our hearts are wayward and we often stubbornly choose to ignore You and Your Word, thus we choose sin and death. You know all of this and You still reach out in love. Lord, we need You so desperately. Please help our hearts to become soft, that we might choose You instead of pain and destruction. Lord Jesus, have mercy on us! We are suffering from sin and we chose it, but we didn’t understand. Please show Yourself in this crisis.
Lord, I confess, I am a sinner. Please forgive me. Please turn my heart to seeking You alone. Lord Jesus, I place all my thoughts, desires, actions, and attitudes before You, and ask that You cleanse me completely, that I might not walk in rebellion against You.
Lord, I stand before You on behalf of those who have yet to know You, those who have not heard the truth, and those who are innocent before You. Lord, let them all find You and eternal salvation in Your precious name. Please Lord, bring back the truth to those who have grown dull, bring back those who have walked in their own ways. Please deliver us from this evil and turn our feet to walking in Your ways. Let Your name be praised from every tribe, every tongue, every nation, because:
Isaiah 53:5 KJV — But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
In Your holy name, Jesus, I humbly ask these things. Amen.
patientlyhopeful 