Come, Thou Fount

You are the Fount of every blessing, O Holy Spirit!  All the good I am is because of Your presence with me.  Without You, I couldn't make it.  Too often I forget You're with me and start grumbling.  I lose sight of Your blessings, Father God, and start looking at all that's wrong with the world - and especially with my neighbors and those closest to me.  I begin making comparisons instead of having compassion.  I just make a mess of things without You at the forefront of my life, dear Jesus!   So, as the hymn so beautifully puts it, Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace; streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise!*   Father-Son-Spirit, I place the rest of this night into the safe keeping of Your hands and trust You with the morrow. Forever and ever - Amen!

* Robert Robinson 1758

The Challenge of Summer Heat

Gracious Father-God, it's a hot summer afternoon.  I can't remember a June this hot day after day.  I am thankful that I have air conditioning and cool, clean water to drink.  What can I do to help those who don't?   I have shelter from the pop-up afternoon thunderstorms and I am so grateful for a safe place to be.  What can I do to help those who don't have sanctuary from the summer storms?  With all there is to be thankful for, there is Your challenge to me to share  with others - to be blessed to be a blessing.   In the heat and humidity of this day, help me to not only be full of thanks, but to be the cool blessing You would want showered on someone else's life.  In the name of He who is our Living Water - Amen

for Charleston SC

Out of the depths we cry unto You, Father God.  We lift to You our brothers and sisters in Christ at Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston as they grieve for their loved ones, murdered so brutally last night.  O Lord, how low have we sunk into depravity, when our young people believe they are doing right by doing such evil?  Lift us up onto holy ground that will not turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to those who suffer.  Give us courage to confront evil and overcome it with Your love, Your mercy and Your truth.   We wait for You, Lord, our souls wait and in Your Word we put our hope.  Still and quieten our hearts and fill this nation with Your peace and justice, that love of You may flow through our streets and into our troubled minds.  Cast out all that is sinful, renew a right spirit within us, and lead us forth in Your Kingdom - united as Your children - indivisible in Your grace - together as Your family.  For out of the depths together we cry unto You, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer - Amen. 

Holy Habits

Father God, obedience is a hard word to us in our culture.   When we hear the word "discipline" we think of punishment instead of good, holy habits.  But I know I cannot be a disciple unless I have discipline.  Why should You bother with me if I won't even discipline myself to prayer, reading Your Word, fasting and works of mercy for others?  I know I need to grow closer to You, but my selfishness resists the discipline it takes.  Holy Spirit, only You can transform me.  Only You can enable me to stand firm against my own resistance to You and help me to kneel at the cross.   Draw me closer, I pray.  Even if I seem to be kicking and screaming about it, don't let me disobey You.  I know I will thank You in the end for the effort it takes now.  For You are my loving Shepherd, the one who keeps me from harm and leads me beside still waters that calm my soul.  Instill Your holy habits in me for Your sake, O Christ - Amen.

Break down the barriers

Heavenly Father-God, You never wear out Your patience.  Mine snaps way too often!  You never stop listening attentively.  Too many times I don't hear what someone says to me because I'm thinking of other things - all too often what I'm going to say next!   You are always generous and pour out on us blessings we can't number.   I'm too regularly stingy and worry about myself more than I do about others - NOT the way You want me to live!  And You never cease to forgive.  O how that cuts me to the heart, because I am so slow to even think about forgiving someone.  I hold on to grudges and make my forgiveness conditional on their saying they're sorry.  That's not how You forgave me on the cross.  O Jesus, if You had waited to die for the world until the world said, "I'm sorry; please forgive me" we would all still be lost in the darkness of death!  Please help me, O Holy Spirit, to break down all the barriers, all the excuses, all the pride that keeps me from living a life of forgiveness.  Grant me Your patience, enable me to listen, create in me a selflessly giving spirit and, Lord, lead me to forgive as I am forgiven.  And may it all be for Your love's sake, Father-Son-Spirit, Three in One.  Amen

In the Nighttime

The darkness is wrapped around us, Heavenly Father.   When we can feel that You are close to us, the nighttime can bring a blessing; as though You are wrapping the world in a blanket, tucking it in for the night.  When all that fills us is fear and uncertainty, the dark can be a place of deep loneliness and sorrow, even despair.  May our memories comfort us rather than grieve us.  May the night bring Your peace and rest rather than turmoil and restlessness.  Help us to hold Your nail-scarred hand in the dark and know that we are safe in Your love, and that the morning will indeed dawn again in our lives.  Where there is pain, grant healing.  Where there is despair, pour out hope.  If there is anxiety, bring Your blessing of contentment as we trust in You.  May we all sleep within Your arms of mercy, dear Savior Shepherd.  Thank You that You never leave us, that You are always watching over us. No matter how dark the night; whether we feel Your presence or not, You are with us - always - everywhere - Alleluia! Amen

Into Your Hands

Gracious Heavenly Father, into Your hands we place this day.  Touch us, use us, help us pray.  All that's good, please bless and lift; and please forgive all that's amiss.  We love You, Lord and want to stay upon the path that is Your Way.  But often we're distracted by temptations, idols and the lie.  It tries to lure us away from You, to grasp what's false and not what's true.  What we need, we humbly ask, to live this life and discern the task, grant us Holy Spirit, please.   And may it all be wrapped in love and grace and mercy from above.  In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Spirit, Great God Three-in-One!  Amen

Hope

God of Us All, in the face of what seems hopeless, You are our hope.  You have seen us through everything throughout the ages and have promised never to abandon us, and so we cling to You.  When we cannot understand, when we cannot see the way forward then You, O Christ, are our Way.  When the clouds of doubt and uncertainty threaten to enshroud us, You take our hands and lead us to the light beyond the dawn.  Help me to accept that I do not always need to understand everything, but just trust and obey.  Grant me peace within all the turmoil of the world and lead me, Blessed Spirit, in the way of love - not my own way, but Yours.  When you ask me to make sacrifices, let me remember Your great sacrifice, dear Jesus, and let me go forward without grumbling.  Because I know You love me, Father, I know You would not ask me to go anywhere You would not want me to be.  Bless us with Your hope, Father-Son-Spirit.  May our cup overflow this night and always -Amen.

Hiding

Loving Father-God,  thank You for walking through this day with me.  You are my comfort when I am sad.  You are my courage when I am overwhelmed. You are my joy when I laugh.  You alone are my all in all, no matter what this world throws at me!   It's SO much easier when I remember that You are here with me.   Forgive me when, like Adam and Eve after the fall, I try to hide from You, Lord.  Sometimes I hide behind right-sounding words when my heart is full of mean-mouthing grumbles.  Sometimes I hide behind busyness instead of focusing on Your call to righteousness.  Sometimes I'm so wrapped up in myself, Lord!   When I think of others my heart aches for those who don't know Your presence.  Lord Jesus, open the minds and souls of those who block You out with constant distractions.  Free those who try to avoid You by filling their lives with destructive addictions - whether drink, computer games, drugs, work, frantic activity - whatever enslaves them. Break through whatever would separate us, because we so need You every moment of every day!  O Holy Spirit, this evening bring Your peace that defies definition, Your strength that is beyond our own, Your comfort that wraps us in the awareness of Your love; the love that is ours now and always - Alleluia! Amen!

Skyscape

Heavenly Father, before me there are white fluffy clouds rising like marshmallow on the horizon.  Above them, streaked across the lingering blue sky there are bands of dirty grey, as though somebody dropped the bottom of them in house dust. Off in the distance to the right there is a mound of deep purplish black that speaks of more rain.  Yet opposite the sunset there are glorious reds and oranges lighting up what will before long be a darkened sky.  What an incredible skyscape of ever-changing variety You create for us, but how many evenings do I even notice?   Thank You for all that goes to make up creation.  Like us, it is still fallen, but I'm certain that the infinite variety and uniqueness of every day is a part of Your holy will that proclaims it good.  Thank You, Almighty God, for such a gift of blessing, now and always - Amen. 

Holy Honesty

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord - sometimes I am tongue-tied when I realise I am in Your presence.  What do I, little person that I am, have to say to The King of Kings? You are holy - perfect - totally together - above everything and everyone.  Do you really want to listen to my burblings and mutterings?  I know You didn't like the grumbles of the Israelites in the wilderness, so I try not to complain.  But I know, Father, that You would rather I grumbled than not talk to You at all.  Help me to always be honest with You, Lord.  Hypocritical living was something You really blazed against during Your earthly ministry and I never want to act in a way that makes you angry or sad.  I know that it's pointless putting on a false, happy face with You, for You know the deepest recesses of my heart and mind. O Holy Spirit, keep me honest - with You and with my neighbors.  But with others may it always be an honesty rooted in selfless love; never vindictive, never prideful or self-seeking but always charitable, uplifting and kind.  Yes, Lord, I know there are ways of saying whatever needs to be said.  And You are right, that sometimes I don't need to say anything at all.  Bless me as I struggle to live this life called Christian.  O Lamb of God, I bow to my knees before You in humility and awe and cry "Holy!", now and always - Amen. 

Evening

Heavenly Father, through the challenges of the day You have carried us.  As we face the darkness of the evening, You are with us.  There is nothing more important than You in my life.  Thank You for Your strong arms and gentle hands that lead me even through the valley of the shadow of death.  Bless all those who are alone this evening.  Bless those who are in pain, suffering emotionally, physically or especially spiritually.  Enable them this moment to know You are holding them, blessed Saviour, for Your love's sake - Amen 

The Biggest Big Picture

Great and wonder-full Father-God, my mind boggles when I try to think about how You are eternal.  You have no start and You have no end.  You simply ARE - always have been, always will be.  In this life I'm stuck on a chronological timeline and find it hard to imagine not being ruled by its passing.  I know that's not an excuse, Lord, for getting caught up in worldliness, but I can see how easy it is for me to. I need to look for You in the middle of wherever and whenever I am, to remind me that what I can see and what I feel this moment isn't all there is to real life - the life You offer me.  When life is hard, remind me that there are holy moments in painful growth and that joy will come again. When there are painful memories and hurts that come back to jab my heart over and over again, remind me that You are my peace and with You forgiveness and healing can come.  When I want to give up and give in to despair and depression, remind me that You are a hope that is beyond all of the pits and muck of life and I will rise again.  But when I want all of this and more to come just when and how I want it to, remind me dear Spirit, that it is not my will, but Yours that I must seek.  You are eternal.  You see it all and at once; the biggest of the big picture that has no edges, no frame, no introductory headings, no ending credits.  And You love me - even me - and want me to take part in Your story, right beside You in every scene.  Wow.  What a mystery is this life abundant lived with You, Father-Son-Spirit, ALWAYS - Amen.  

Interruptions

Father God, thank You for interruptions.  I've been amazed at reading in Your Word how often Your ministry poured forth out of interruptions, Jesus.  We have become so focused on speed and "efficiency" and our own agendas that we forget the holiness that can be found in interruptions.  Instead, we usually see them as nuisances, as things that get in the way of what we think is really important.  Forgive us, Lord.  You never showed the least impatience with people interrupting You.  You always had time for people.  That's it, isn't it, Lord.  People should be the biggest agenda for all of us, second only to You.  Loving You and loving neighbour means having time for You and for all those around me, even my enemies.  I'm sorry for all the times that I have seen people as interruptions and not as the beloved children of God that they are.  Thank You for never seeing me that way, but always having unlimited time for me.  Father-Son-Spirit, loving and eternal God, in Your arms we pray - Amen.