Psalm 25:19-22 (NRSV)
19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 O guard my life, and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.
[1]
Lord,
How many are my foes? And how many of them live within my own psyche? Fear, anger, ambivalence, guilt, shame, faithlessness, ancient memories that still get in the way of fruitful living, how many are my foes? As Jesus exorcised demons from the lives of those whom he physically touched, take my inner foes away.
And the external foes, there are a few. Help me to remember that most of my external foes are people who have been taken over by their own personal internal enemies.
But there are others, women and men who hate or ignore you and have little use for me because of my intention to be faithful to you. Selfishness and stinginess and the unfailing quest for power and money have driven some to be full participants in the causes of evil.
So, with the ancient poet, I pray, “guard my life and deliver me… for I take refuge in you.”
Lord, you have given us two great weapons in the struggles of life, integrity and uprightness. Too often these “Kingdom Instruments” have been too little used and too often ignored. Too often, integrity and uprightness have been under valued and underdeveloped. Too often, perhaps, that has been true of me.
Nurture those great virtues in my own soul. I have no expectation of achieving any kind of perfection but if you could just grow those great virtues a little within me, perhaps the world will be a little blessed.
Take care of your church and your people God; take really good care of them.
A personal word: Saturday I attended a wedding and Sunday afternoon I returned to the same Christmas decorated sanctuary for a funeral. Take care of you people, O God, take really good care of our people.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray, in the manner of the ancient poet, to be safeguarded from all of your foes.
Ask God to nurture the habits of integrity and uprightness in your life.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you to God.”
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
Monday, December 8, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
psalm 25
Psalm 25:11-18 (NRSV)
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who are they that fear the Lord?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.
13 They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring mea out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
[1]
Lord,
We live between promise and peril. With the poet I pray, “pardon my guilt, for it is great.” Peril: the possibility that misdeeds and mistakes will ultimately lead to destruction. And promise: we live with the assurance of pardon. We live between the two.
And this amazing promise, those who walk with the Lord will abide in prosperity – some day.
But the poet is not yet living in the state of prosperity. All is not well. He writes, “I am lonely and afflicted.” His heart is troubled and he is distressed. And he is pleading for forgiveness.
Peril and promise, despair and hope, fear and faith, the poet gives it all to you Lord believing, at least hoping, that you will receive the contradictions of his heart with grace and that you will bless him with your presence.
You know the peril in which we now live and we beg your help. Restore the prosperity that you promise.
You know the despair of so many of our neighbors. Restore your hope within us.
You know the fear that distorts our ability to see the world clearly and relate to one another lovingly. Grow within us the faith that leads to salvation.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Confess your guilt and fear to God and ask for the pardon and faith that you need.
Attend to the promise of prosperity and allow that promise to grow within your heart and mind.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
a Or The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who are they that fear the Lord?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.
13 They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring mea out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
[1]
Lord,
We live between promise and peril. With the poet I pray, “pardon my guilt, for it is great.” Peril: the possibility that misdeeds and mistakes will ultimately lead to destruction. And promise: we live with the assurance of pardon. We live between the two.
And this amazing promise, those who walk with the Lord will abide in prosperity – some day.
But the poet is not yet living in the state of prosperity. All is not well. He writes, “I am lonely and afflicted.” His heart is troubled and he is distressed. And he is pleading for forgiveness.
Peril and promise, despair and hope, fear and faith, the poet gives it all to you Lord believing, at least hoping, that you will receive the contradictions of his heart with grace and that you will bless him with your presence.
You know the peril in which we now live and we beg your help. Restore the prosperity that you promise.
You know the despair of so many of our neighbors. Restore your hope within us.
You know the fear that distorts our ability to see the world clearly and relate to one another lovingly. Grow within us the faith that leads to salvation.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Confess your guilt and fear to God and ask for the pardon and faith that you need.
Attend to the promise of prosperity and allow that promise to grow within your heart and mind.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
a Or The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989
Thursday, December 4, 2008
psalm 25
Psalm 25 (NRSV)
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
Lord,
Because you are good, you give instruction to sinners and you lead the humble. Your goodness causes you to reach out to sinners, to the lost, to the mistaken and to the willfully wrong. You do not keep yourself separated from sinners but reach into the orbits of their lives with wisdom and grace and the offer of pardon. You are always whispering in the sinners’ ears, “There is a better way.” You go to the bars and the boardrooms, into the streets and the bedrooms of the broken, into the lives of those incarcerated in jails and chained by habits of futility and self-destruction. You give instruction to sinners.
And who can receive the gift of instruction? Only the humble! You lead the humble, you teach the humble. What you offer to all sinners is received by the humble, by sinners who are open to the possibility that they may be wrong and in need of fresh instruction and guidance. Only to those who realize the need for guidance and grace are able to receive it, or so implies the poet.
So Lord, I pray for renewed humility. Open my soul to a new awareness of your presence and grace and help me to go where you lead and to embody that which you teach.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Speak your sin to God and ask for the pardon that he has promised.
Ask for the courage to be humble enough to receive the grace of God’s guidance and instruction.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
Lord,
Because you are good, you give instruction to sinners and you lead the humble. Your goodness causes you to reach out to sinners, to the lost, to the mistaken and to the willfully wrong. You do not keep yourself separated from sinners but reach into the orbits of their lives with wisdom and grace and the offer of pardon. You are always whispering in the sinners’ ears, “There is a better way.” You go to the bars and the boardrooms, into the streets and the bedrooms of the broken, into the lives of those incarcerated in jails and chained by habits of futility and self-destruction. You give instruction to sinners.
And who can receive the gift of instruction? Only the humble! You lead the humble, you teach the humble. What you offer to all sinners is received by the humble, by sinners who are open to the possibility that they may be wrong and in need of fresh instruction and guidance. Only to those who realize the need for guidance and grace are able to receive it, or so implies the poet.
So Lord, I pray for renewed humility. Open my soul to a new awareness of your presence and grace and help me to go where you lead and to embody that which you teach.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Speak your sin to God and ask for the pardon that he has promised.
Ask for the courage to be humble enough to receive the grace of God’s guidance and instruction.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
psalm 25
Psalm 25 (NRSV)
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
Lord,
Even as I ask for guidance, I ask as one who knows that he has no right to ask. I seek your guidance because you have invited me to do so. You have made the offer. You have asked me to accept the gift that comes from you.
As I extend my hand to receive the gift of guidance from you, I am mindful, with the poet, of the sins of youth and maturity and I ask that you will continue to be merciful. Do not allow my mistakes, either old or new, to get in the way of following you as the One who knows the way through this life.
Lord, your mercy and kindness are grounded deeply in the essence of your character. You are God and you are merciful and it is with this assurance that I ask that you will remember me. “According to your steadfast love, remember me.”
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Give thanks that mercy, kindness and pardon form the shape of God’s heart.
Ask God to be your companion through the course of your day and week.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!
Lord,
Even as I ask for guidance, I ask as one who knows that he has no right to ask. I seek your guidance because you have invited me to do so. You have made the offer. You have asked me to accept the gift that comes from you.
As I extend my hand to receive the gift of guidance from you, I am mindful, with the poet, of the sins of youth and maturity and I ask that you will continue to be merciful. Do not allow my mistakes, either old or new, to get in the way of following you as the One who knows the way through this life.
Lord, your mercy and kindness are grounded deeply in the essence of your character. You are God and you are merciful and it is with this assurance that I ask that you will remember me. “According to your steadfast love, remember me.”
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Give thanks that mercy, kindness and pardon form the shape of God’s heart.
Ask God to be your companion through the course of your day and week.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Psalm 25
Psalm 25 (NRSV).
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
Lord,
Here’s my struggle. I am convinced that the fundamental principles of your ways, your paths can be known through a prayerful walk with Jesus and the study of scriptures that finally bear witness to him. Mercy, kindness, justice, love, forgiveness are the trail markers that we follow in our walk with you.
What is harder is to know the individual path that you have for each of us. Have you created an individual trail for each of us to follow and how can we find the signs? I can follow Jesus and learn about mercy and justice and love but I can not read the Bible and know specifically where you would lead me each day. I guess what I would love to have is a kind of personal cosmic spiritual GPS system.
The poet wrote that he waits for you all day long. It seems that in some spiritual way, you are personally the spiritual GPS system in our personal walk with you.
And yet, if that is so, why is that so many who claim to be perfectly tuned in to you walk so many different kinds of trail? And why is it that too many seem too often to be at war with one another, all for the love of Jesus? Why is it that so many who claim to be disciples of Jesus are willing to damage and sometimes destroy others who claim to be disciples of Jesus – all for the love of Jesus? And why are some so willing to disobey the commandment of Jesus that we love one another and that we love even our enemies all the while claiming to serve him?
So Lord, teach me your path. Grant me your truth. Indeed I wait for you. And I dare to even pray for that spiritual GPS system that would lead me along the life trail that you wish me to follow.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to teach you God’s ways so that you might follow God’s path.
And seek pardon for those times in which, in the passion to be right, you have violated the commandment to love neighbor and enemy.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
Lord,
Here’s my struggle. I am convinced that the fundamental principles of your ways, your paths can be known through a prayerful walk with Jesus and the study of scriptures that finally bear witness to him. Mercy, kindness, justice, love, forgiveness are the trail markers that we follow in our walk with you.
What is harder is to know the individual path that you have for each of us. Have you created an individual trail for each of us to follow and how can we find the signs? I can follow Jesus and learn about mercy and justice and love but I can not read the Bible and know specifically where you would lead me each day. I guess what I would love to have is a kind of personal cosmic spiritual GPS system.
The poet wrote that he waits for you all day long. It seems that in some spiritual way, you are personally the spiritual GPS system in our personal walk with you.
And yet, if that is so, why is that so many who claim to be perfectly tuned in to you walk so many different kinds of trail? And why is it that too many seem too often to be at war with one another, all for the love of Jesus? Why is it that so many who claim to be disciples of Jesus are willing to damage and sometimes destroy others who claim to be disciples of Jesus – all for the love of Jesus? And why are some so willing to disobey the commandment of Jesus that we love one another and that we love even our enemies all the while claiming to serve him?
So Lord, teach me your path. Grant me your truth. Indeed I wait for you. And I dare to even pray for that spiritual GPS system that would lead me along the life trail that you wish me to follow.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to teach you God’s ways so that you might follow God’s path.
And seek pardon for those times in which, in the passion to be right, you have violated the commandment to love neighbor and enemy.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
Psalm 25
Psalm 25 (NRSV).
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
Lord,
Here’s my struggle. I am convinced that the fundamental principles of your ways, your paths can be known through a prayerful walk with Jesus and the study of scriptures that finally bear witness to him. Mercy, kindness, justice, love, forgiveness are the trail markers that we follow in our walk with you.
What is harder is to know the individual path that you have for each of us. Have you created an individual trail for each of us to follow and how can we find the signs? I can follow Jesus and learn about mercy and justice and love but I can not read the Bible and know specifically where you would lead me each day. I guess what I would love to have is a kind of personal cosmic spiritual GPS system.
The poet wrote that he waits for you all day long. It seems that in some spiritual way, you are personally the spiritual GPS system in our personal walk with you.
And yet, if that is so, why is that so many who claim to be perfectly tuned in to you walk so many different kinds of trail? And why is it that too many seem too often to be at war with one another, all for the love of Jesus? Why is it that so many who claim to be disciples of Jesus are willing to damage and sometimes destroy others who claim to be disciples of Jesus – all for the love of Jesus? And why are some so willing to disobey the commandment of Jesus that we love one another and that we love even our enemies all the while claiming to serve him?
So Lord, teach me your path. Grant me your truth. Indeed I wait for you. And I dare to even pray for that spiritual GPS system that would lead me along the life trail that you wish me to follow.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to teach you God’s ways so that you might follow God’s path.
And seek pardon for those times in which, in the passion to be right, you have violated the commandment to love neighbor and enemy.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.
Lord,
Here’s my struggle. I am convinced that the fundamental principles of your ways, your paths can be known through a prayerful walk with Jesus and the study of scriptures that finally bear witness to him. Mercy, kindness, justice, love, forgiveness are the trail markers that we follow in our walk with you.
What is harder is to know the individual path that you have for each of us. Have you created an individual trail for each of us to follow and how can we find the signs? I can follow Jesus and learn about mercy and justice and love but I can not read the Bible and know specifically where you would lead me each day. I guess what I would love to have is a kind of personal cosmic spiritual GPS system.
The poet wrote that he waits for you all day long. It seems that in some spiritual way, you are personally the spiritual GPS system in our personal walk with you.
And yet, if that is so, why is that so many who claim to be perfectly tuned in to you walk so many different kinds of trail? And why is it that too many seem too often to be at war with one another, all for the love of Jesus? Why is it that so many who claim to be disciples of Jesus are willing to damage and sometimes destroy others who claim to be disciples of Jesus – all for the love of Jesus? And why are some so willing to disobey the commandment of Jesus that we love one another and that we love even our enemies all the while claiming to serve him?
So Lord, teach me your path. Grant me your truth. Indeed I wait for you. And I dare to even pray for that spiritual GPS system that would lead me along the life trail that you wish me to follow.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to teach you God’s ways so that you might follow God’s path.
And seek pardon for those times in which, in the passion to be right, you have violated the commandment to love neighbor and enemy.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Psalm 25
Psalm 25 (NRSV)
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Lord,
Today, I trust my life into your father-like care. I choose to trust you with my my good intentions, good deeds, mistakes, sin, frustrations, successes, conversations, travel, work and rest – all I trust into your tender care and keeping.
I confess that I completely understand the poet when he first declares his trust in you and then quickly adds, “do not let me be put to shame.” Don’t let my trust be misplaced. Don’t let me down.” Such ambivalence in faith, I fully understand and ask to be delivered from it.
But, on the other hand, if there were no uncertainty, would it be the faith that you ask? OK, I’m out of my depth here. Is faith without some sense of doubt, really faith? Do you really want a faith that squelches all questions and silences all uncertainty? Are not those the very faith based stimulants that stir the heart and soul to seek more intently after you? I suspect that I’ll never know. So take me as I am, full of faith that has its fair portion of uncertainty and grant me some comfort in knowing that the poet seems to share my quandary.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray that God will stir trust within your heart.
And pray that God will stir you to seek after God more intently.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Lord,
Today, I trust my life into your father-like care. I choose to trust you with my my good intentions, good deeds, mistakes, sin, frustrations, successes, conversations, travel, work and rest – all I trust into your tender care and keeping.
I confess that I completely understand the poet when he first declares his trust in you and then quickly adds, “do not let me be put to shame.” Don’t let my trust be misplaced. Don’t let me down.” Such ambivalence in faith, I fully understand and ask to be delivered from it.
But, on the other hand, if there were no uncertainty, would it be the faith that you ask? OK, I’m out of my depth here. Is faith without some sense of doubt, really faith? Do you really want a faith that squelches all questions and silences all uncertainty? Are not those the very faith based stimulants that stir the heart and soul to seek more intently after you? I suspect that I’ll never know. So take me as I am, full of faith that has its fair portion of uncertainty and grant me some comfort in knowing that the poet seems to share my quandary.
PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Pray that God will stir trust within your heart.
And pray that God will stir you to seek after God more intently.
Name 5 things for which you are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.
In Christ’s name,
Amen.
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