A Father’s Day Prayer
Psalm 103:12-14
New International Version (NIV)
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions(A) from us.
13 As a father has compassion(B) on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,(C)
he remembers that we are dust.(D)
Tomorrow is Father’s Day, a day set aside to remember our own fathers and to make the day special for our husbands. We buy cards, gifts, prepare favorite meals—in short, we do all that we can to make the day memorable.
David loved his heavenly father and found it easy to compare God’s love for us to the love of our earthly fathers. In this verse he says that our heavenly father has compassion on those of us who have an awesome respect for who He is. And, he is mindful that God knows each and every molecule of our bodies so that he is even more in tune with who we are than our earthly fathers.
I was blessed to have a father who loved me, so it is not difficult for me to understand God’s love. Some are not that fortunate, but I would like to tell you that you can still know a Father’s love. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”
If you have not known the love of your heavenly father, then Father’s Day is a great day to begin that new relationship with Him.
Prayer: Our father, as we anticipate another Father’s Day, let us set aside some time to focus on you, to thank you and praise you for all you have done in our lives. And for those who find it hard to be in relationship with you because they missed out on a relationship with their own father, I pray that you will enable them to heal from old, failed relationships and have the courage and the faith to begin a new relationship with you. Amen
Consider it all Loss
Philippians 3:4b If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
One of the primary differences between Christ followers and the rest of the world is in whom we put our confidence. The phrase “self-made man” has always disturbed me. While it suggests a man whose accomplishments are due to nothing but his own hard work and ingenuity, to me it also implies a man who has done everything without putting his trust in God.
Paul addresses this issue in these scriptures brilliantly. Paul first reminds his audience of his pedigree. He was a Jew by birth from the tribe of Benjamin (the same tribe as King Saul), a Roman citizen, a Pharisee, zealous in his persecution of the church and faultless in keeping the law of Moses to attain righteousness. Paul had everything—position, power, authority. Yet, he counted everything he had as rubbish in the face of knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord. Once he received new life in Jesus, his old life had no meaning. He recognized clearly that the only right standing one can have with God comes through God by faith and grace.
Have you counted everything as loss in order to gain the knowledge of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? If not, today would be a good day to place your trust not in your own accomplishments, but in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Father, how wonderful it is know that your mercies are fresh every morning, and that we do not have to rely upon ourselves for our salvation. Thank you, Father, for providing the Lamb as the sacrifice for our sins, and for showing us how to rest in You and in the saving grace of Christ Jesus. Amen
The Heavens Declare Your Glory
“[Psalm 19] For the director of music. A psalm of David. 1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.” Psalm 19:1-2 NIV1984
The old adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” could not be truer when it comes to the above scripture. Nature itself declares the glory of God. I love the line, “Day after day they pour forth speech, and night after night they display knowledge.” David, a man after God’s own heart, understood with such clarity that God is visible everywhere we look!
Three years ago we made a trip to the southwestern states. The vistas were truly amazing. At night, I saw what Abraham saw when God promised his children would number greater than the stars in the sky. During the day, I saw canyons, striated hillsides, tumbleweeds that literally tumbled, and a desert painted by God Himself.
How can I, a disciple of Christ, a seeker of holiness, remain silent in the face of such magnificent glory? I must give praise, I must share Who God is and what He means to me. Leon Trombley says “it would be easier to hold a tempest in a teacup than a heart full of silent praise.”
Let us be silent no more.
Prayer: Father God, how much I love you. Just as the heavens declare your glory, may I always have declarations of your glory upon my lips. May I never miss a chance to share your glory with others. Amen
Seeing what Abraham saw
Obsidian sky dotted with astral bodies,
jewel-like in their visage, too magnificent to comprehend.
Can you fathom them,
can you count them,
can you see what Abraham saw?
Bush burns with lack of consumption,
Can you see it,
can you feel it,
can you hear what Moses heard?
Sea separates the unholy from the Holy,
gap is wide, too far to span.
Do you have faith
that covers the distance?
Will you grab firmly the Savior’s hand?
The same Jesus who placed the stars in the heavens
is waiting today to give you new life.
Will you receive it,
will you believe it,
will you have the faith that Abraham had?
Psalm 46:10“B…
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
As a child, I was told on more than one occasion to “be still.” Later, as a mother, I admonished my son to “be still.” And now, as I read the Scriptures, I am cautioned once again to, “be still.”
Being still is something we do not do very well. As children, we simply have too much energy to be still for very long. As adults, there is a distinct lack of comfort in being still. We believe we are missing something if we are not on the move, when in fact we are in danger of missing the most important thing if we fail to be still, and that is communion with God.
David understood how to be still and connect with his God. From the highs to the lows, from castles to caves, David learned to seek God where He could be found. David knew that God was his shepherd, and David understood both what it meant to be a shepherd, and what it meant to be shepherded.
Have you learned to be still before the Lord, waiting on Him and allowing Him to restore your soul? Be still, and know that He is God, and He is holy, holy, holy.
Prayer: Dear Father, I have too often rushed headlong into plans and schemes and instead of asking for your direction, hoped you would bless my efforts because I am your child. Forgive me for my impatience and for failing to wait on you. May I learn what it means to be still before you. Amen
Share Your Faith
Philemon 1:6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. 7 Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints.
Today was our senior pastor’s last day at our church. Subject to the itinerant system in the United Methodist Church, he is transferring to Northwest Arkansas to shepherd a new church. The scripture above is the text upon which he based his final sermon.
Have you considered that when you are active in sharing your faith, you begin to understand how good you have it in Christ Jesus? This is the question we were asked this morning, and I have to answer, “Yes, I do realize when I share my faith just what I have in Jesus.”
You see, I have long since known that whatever God tells us to do for others, actually has an added benefit for those of us who are obedient. Allow me to give you some examples:
- When we are obedient to God and forgive, our act of obedience not only offers grace and mercy to those who have offended us, but that act of obedience removes a wall between ourselves and God
- When we love others the way we love ourselves, we must re-assess the feelings we have about ourselves. Low self-image? We must begin to see ourselves through God’s eyes instead of through eyes that have been damaged by too many years of criticism.
- And finally, sharing our faith with others, while vital to fulfilling the Great Commission, is also instrumental in building up our own faith, for the more we share our story of what Christ has done for us, the greater our faith will become.
As you search the Scriptures for guidance and for truth, I pray that you will, indeed, be active in sharing your faith so that your understanding of what God has done for you will be full and your faith will multiply.
Prayer: Father, as we explore your word may we gain strength, boldness and understanding, and may we take every opportunity to share our faith with others. Amen
Seeking Holiness 