Do not be afraid, Samuel replied. You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.--I Samuel 12:20-24 Samuel speaking to the Israelites.
Our Redeemer,
Here we sit, in our own squalor, a mess so big we can't clean ourselves up:
We shrug off our sins of killing babies
Save us, Redeemer.
For good and not so good, we wade into war and find no way out.
Come, Redeemer.
We twist and manipulate truth until we can no longer trust anyone.
Forgive us, Redeemer.
Our god is our stomachs, and we have no idea how not to be obsessed with it.
Change us, Redeemer.
We turn a blind eye to anything that threatens our comfort.
Move us, Redeemer.
We ignore You until we need You.
Be with us, Redeemer.
Thank You Lord Jesus, for redeeming us before we ever took a breath. Thank You for forgiving us on the cross, before we ever knew.
You have forgiven so much, help us to love much. Help us to remember Your grace not with shame but with joy--Your full gift. As Ravi Zacharias says, the cross--where justice, love, evil, and forgiveness all meet. Wow!
We pray You will redeem the lives of Your people around the world.
We pray for the Middle Eastern Christians. Lord, we don't even know how to pray for them; much less how to help. Save them Lord!
We pray for our country. May wisdom and truth prevail. Give our legislators courage to do the right thing.
Lord, be our military's Redeemer.
We pray for the deployed soldiers, still sweating in the desert, still living behind barbed wire, still ducking bullets. May their chaplains be effective. May You redeem this time that they are away by making them closer to You than ever before.
We pray for our leaders. We pray for courage and strength as they fight the administrative and ethical battles. Help the Chief of Chaplain's office to be Your representative to all they come in contact with this week.
We pray for our hurting veterans. Redeem their lives, Lord, redeem them. May the enemy's lies be silenced in their ears.
And Lord, be our children's Redeemer. Give them a double measure of the Spirit You have blessed us with.
We pray for our kids who are in basic training. Strength, courage, safety...please, God.
We pray for our kids who are in college. May they catch the fire of what You would have them do.
We pray for our kids who are considering marriage. Help them to see clearly.
We pray for our kids who are starting school and all the new challenges. Lord, may they find their confidence and identity in You.
We pray for our kids who are starting in a new place. Lord, may they be a blessing to their new friends.
We pray for our kids who are finding their ways through activities--making the team or not, finding new passions, fanning into flame their gifts. Lord, help them to deal with closed doors and with success.
We pray for our little ones learning to handle their emotions.
We pray for safety for those PCSing. Lord, please help us with renting and finding and selling homes.
We pray for our friends struggling with major illnesses, miscarriages, heart aches.
Father God, You are the only one capable of changing things, changing hearts, changing the world! Thank You for loving us enough to redeem us. We will sing for joy today in the hope You give us!
Sunday, August 16, 2015
Sunday, August 9, 2015
August 10, 2015
Praying with Psalm 89 this week:
Lord, teach us to pray.
Teach me to pray.
Through my attention-deficit, my laziness, my anxiety, my unwillingness to lay down my will, my incredible self-centered thinking.
Teach me to pray.
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You have established Your faithfulness in heaven itself.
Yes, Lord, turn my mind to You and Your great love!
The God who brought so many of our warriors home for so many years now. You gave us the victory.
The God who led us to our spouses and blessed us with children.
The God who has led us through PCS moves and trials and continues to make it well, over and over again.
The God who gave us Jesus, which makes it all good.
The heavens praise Your wonders, Lord, Your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; He is more awesome than all who surround Him.
Who is like You, Lord God Almighty?
You, Lord, are mighty and your faithfulness surrounds You.
As the soldier watches the sun rise
And the sailor follows the stars
And the airmen fly through the clouds,
may they remember You. Lord, may our warriors turn to You.
May they trust in the One beyond the stars.
And may You see them, and protect them.
We pray for their needs, especially those who are deployed.
May they be getting enough sleep, and good food.
May they be working together well, and may they have friends.
May their transportation be safe.
May their missions be completed.
May You quiet their hearts, tame their fears.
May the Christian warriors and chaplains be shining their lights.
We pray for their leaders--from the Pentagon and the Chief of Chaplain's office down to the platoon leader--give them wisdom.
Lord, help them to live in the peace at home too.
Help them to find purpose and mission, while staying diligent.
Help them to find activities that are satisfying.
Help those who are retiring.
You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them...
The heavens are Yours, and Yours also the earth;
You founded the world and all that is in it...
Your arm is endowed with power; Your hand is strong, Your right hand exalted.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
love and faithfulness go before You.
Lord help us to be the help-mates our warriors need.
Help us to be the community that supports our hurting ones.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You,
Who walk in the light of Your presence, Lord.
They rejoice in Your name all day long;
They celebrate Your righteousness.
For You are their glory and strength, and by Your favor You exalt our horn.
Indeed our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Teach us how to acclaim You, Almighty God. Change our marriages, our families, our communities, our chapels, our posts, our military.
Teach us to pray.
Lord, teach us to pray.
Teach me to pray.
Through my attention-deficit, my laziness, my anxiety, my unwillingness to lay down my will, my incredible self-centered thinking.
Teach me to pray.
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You have established Your faithfulness in heaven itself.
Yes, Lord, turn my mind to You and Your great love!
The God who brought so many of our warriors home for so many years now. You gave us the victory.
The God who led us to our spouses and blessed us with children.
The God who has led us through PCS moves and trials and continues to make it well, over and over again.
The God who gave us Jesus, which makes it all good.
The heavens praise Your wonders, Lord, Your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings?
In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; He is more awesome than all who surround Him.
Who is like You, Lord God Almighty?
You, Lord, are mighty and your faithfulness surrounds You.
As the soldier watches the sun rise
And the sailor follows the stars
And the airmen fly through the clouds,
may they remember You. Lord, may our warriors turn to You.
May they trust in the One beyond the stars.
And may You see them, and protect them.
We pray for their needs, especially those who are deployed.
May they be getting enough sleep, and good food.
May they be working together well, and may they have friends.
May their transportation be safe.
May their missions be completed.
May You quiet their hearts, tame their fears.
May the Christian warriors and chaplains be shining their lights.
We pray for their leaders--from the Pentagon and the Chief of Chaplain's office down to the platoon leader--give them wisdom.
Lord, help them to live in the peace at home too.
Help them to find purpose and mission, while staying diligent.
Help them to find activities that are satisfying.
Help those who are retiring.
You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, You still them...
The heavens are Yours, and Yours also the earth;
You founded the world and all that is in it...
Your arm is endowed with power; Your hand is strong, Your right hand exalted.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
love and faithfulness go before You.
Lord help us to be the help-mates our warriors need.
Help us to be the community that supports our hurting ones.
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You,
Who walk in the light of Your presence, Lord.
They rejoice in Your name all day long;
They celebrate Your righteousness.
For You are their glory and strength, and by Your favor You exalt our horn.
Indeed our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
Teach us how to acclaim You, Almighty God. Change our marriages, our families, our communities, our chapels, our posts, our military.
Teach us to pray.
Sunday, August 2, 2015
August 3, 2015
"The first and chief need of our Christian life is fellowship with God. As I need every moment afresh the air to breathe, as the sun every moment afresh sends its light, so it is only in direct living communication with God that my soul can be strong.
The manna of one day was corrupt when the next day came. I must every day have fresh grace from heaven, and I obtain it only in direct waiting upon God Himself. Begin each day by tarrying before God and letting Him touch you. Take time to meet God." --Andrew Murray
Good Morning Abba, Daddy,
We taste the sweet raspberry
the salt of bacon,
the juice of watermelon
the warmth of tea
the bite of a hot pepper
the tang of a lemon
the smooth sweetness of a chocolate
We taste, and we thank You Lord.
We get a taste of You in this world God, and we know that You are good.
The awesome creativity You used to give us tastes, and smells, and feels.
The blessings of pleasure You send us as You meet our daily needs.
Thank You Lord, for providing in abundance.
Forgive us for chasing after these pleasures, instead of You the gift-giver.
Every taste in this world has a bitterness without You.
Forgive us for despairing.
For not counting You in every situation.
Forgive us for worrying.
For not trusting Your power.
Forgive us for wallowing in guilt.
For not believing in Your forgiveness.
Forgive us for throwing our hands in the air
and not in praise
and not asking what You would have us do.
You are more than able to pay the bills
to heal the sick
to turn the heart
to protect the soldier
to win the war
to forgive the worst offender
You are on the throne.
Lord, we want to be Your people today who stand in the gap for our people.
Lord, please forgive us for killing the unborn. And as the horror increases, may Your grace increase for those convicted of their sin.
We pray for our soldiers. Please protect them, and give them peace.
We pray for our veterans. Father God please give them hope.
We pray for our chaplains and Christian soldiers, may Your light shine through them. From the Chief of Chaplains to the new private, help them to stand for You.
We pray for our children going off to new adventures, finding their wings in the life You have given them. Give them strength; give their moms comfort and new missions.
We pray for our friends suffering from serious illnesses. May they trust in You in their weakness.
We pray for houses bought, sold, rented; Lord give us wisdom to use the gifts You have given.
We pray for safety and rest as we enjoy this summer season.
Lord may every taste we get today remind us to praise You
For You are good.
The manna of one day was corrupt when the next day came. I must every day have fresh grace from heaven, and I obtain it only in direct waiting upon God Himself. Begin each day by tarrying before God and letting Him touch you. Take time to meet God." --Andrew Murray
Good Morning Abba, Daddy,
We taste the sweet raspberry
the salt of bacon,
the juice of watermelon
the warmth of tea
the bite of a hot pepper
the tang of a lemon
the smooth sweetness of a chocolate
We taste, and we thank You Lord.
We get a taste of You in this world God, and we know that You are good.
The awesome creativity You used to give us tastes, and smells, and feels.
The blessings of pleasure You send us as You meet our daily needs.
Thank You Lord, for providing in abundance.
Forgive us for chasing after these pleasures, instead of You the gift-giver.
Every taste in this world has a bitterness without You.
Forgive us for despairing.
For not counting You in every situation.
Forgive us for worrying.
For not trusting Your power.
Forgive us for wallowing in guilt.
For not believing in Your forgiveness.
Forgive us for throwing our hands in the air
and not in praise
and not asking what You would have us do.
You are more than able to pay the bills
to heal the sick
to turn the heart
to protect the soldier
to win the war
to forgive the worst offender
You are on the throne.
Lord, we want to be Your people today who stand in the gap for our people.
Lord, please forgive us for killing the unborn. And as the horror increases, may Your grace increase for those convicted of their sin.
We pray for our soldiers. Please protect them, and give them peace.
We pray for our veterans. Father God please give them hope.
We pray for our chaplains and Christian soldiers, may Your light shine through them. From the Chief of Chaplains to the new private, help them to stand for You.
We pray for our children going off to new adventures, finding their wings in the life You have given them. Give them strength; give their moms comfort and new missions.
We pray for our friends suffering from serious illnesses. May they trust in You in their weakness.
We pray for houses bought, sold, rented; Lord give us wisdom to use the gifts You have given.
We pray for safety and rest as we enjoy this summer season.
Lord may every taste we get today remind us to praise You
For You are good.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
July 27, 2015
Oh Father God,
How to quiet the madness
How to hush the fears
How to slay the distractions
And just sit at Your feet today--
Selah
To get lost in Your beauty instead of the ugliness of the world
To be overwhelmed by Your gifts instead of our wants
To be grateful for your sacrifice instead of exhausted by my failures
Selah
To seek You first
not just my desires
You
You who twirls the stars
who sprinkles the rain
who colors the iris purple
whose throne is encircled by a rainbow
who speaks and the mountains shudder
who steps and the oceans writhe
whose ways are beyond my understanding
My loving Father
We ask for safety for our soldiers
for success in their missions
for them to come home
we ask for strength
for broken bodies to be healed
for broken minds to find peace
but most of all,
we pray they will seek You first.
We ask for healing of their souls
Help them to drop the pride, the strength, the will
and take up their crosses.
With grateful hearts for our children,
we pray they will also seek You, be it in chasing butterflies or studying physics.
Remembering You always provide,
we pray that houses will get rented and sold
new homes will be found and settled into.
May the Chief of Chaplain's office seek You first.
May the Christian soldier seek You over promotions, or fitting-in, over fighting for his rights.
May the hurting soldier seek You instead of alcohol, drugs, adrenaline.
Help us to order our days, our homes, with seeking You first. Especially in the pain--the loss of a baby, the ongoing illnesses--be so very real to our friends that they keep their faces turned to You.
Because You are so worth it.
Lauren Daigle's First
Before I bring my need
I will bring my heart
Before I lift my cares
I will lift my arms
I wanna know You
I wanna find You
In every season
In every moment
Before I bring my need
I will bring my heart
And seek You
(chorus)
First
I want to seek You
I want to seek You
First
I want to keep You
I want to keep You
First
More than anything I want, I want You
First
Before I speak a word
Let me hear Your voice
And in the midst of pain
Let me feel Your joy
I wanna know You
I wanna find You
In every season
In every moment
Before I speak a word
I will bring my heart
And seek You
(bridge)
You are my treasure and my reward
Let nothing ever come before
You are my treasure and my reward
Let nothing ever come before
I seek You
How to quiet the madness
How to hush the fears
How to slay the distractions
And just sit at Your feet today--
Selah
To get lost in Your beauty instead of the ugliness of the world
To be overwhelmed by Your gifts instead of our wants
To be grateful for your sacrifice instead of exhausted by my failures
Selah
To seek You first
not just my desires
You
You who twirls the stars
who sprinkles the rain
who colors the iris purple
whose throne is encircled by a rainbow
who speaks and the mountains shudder
who steps and the oceans writhe
whose ways are beyond my understanding
My loving Father
We ask for safety for our soldiers
for success in their missions
for them to come home
we ask for strength
for broken bodies to be healed
for broken minds to find peace
but most of all,
we pray they will seek You first.
We ask for healing of their souls
Help them to drop the pride, the strength, the will
and take up their crosses.
With grateful hearts for our children,
we pray they will also seek You, be it in chasing butterflies or studying physics.
Remembering You always provide,
we pray that houses will get rented and sold
new homes will be found and settled into.
May the Chief of Chaplain's office seek You first.
May the Christian soldier seek You over promotions, or fitting-in, over fighting for his rights.
May the hurting soldier seek You instead of alcohol, drugs, adrenaline.
Help us to order our days, our homes, with seeking You first. Especially in the pain--the loss of a baby, the ongoing illnesses--be so very real to our friends that they keep their faces turned to You.
Because You are so worth it.
Lauren Daigle's First
Before I bring my need
I will bring my heart
Before I lift my cares
I will lift my arms
I wanna know You
I wanna find You
In every season
In every moment
Before I bring my need
I will bring my heart
And seek You
(chorus)
First
I want to seek You
I want to seek You
First
I want to keep You
I want to keep You
First
More than anything I want, I want You
First
Before I speak a word
Let me hear Your voice
And in the midst of pain
Let me feel Your joy
I wanna know You
I wanna find You
In every season
In every moment
Before I speak a word
I will bring my heart
And seek You
(bridge)
You are my treasure and my reward
Let nothing ever come before
You are my treasure and my reward
Let nothing ever come before
I seek You
Sunday, July 19, 2015
July 20, 2015
Click here to enjoy: He's Ever Over Me
I will lift my eyes to the hills and their Creator
Who made all heaven and earth
for He watches me
will not sleep, no never slumber
He's ever over me.
As I come and I go
I am safe for I know
that His care is sufficient for me.
Winter warmth and light
and a shady place in summer
He's ever over me.
Thank You for this job that lets us travel and see so much of Your world.
From the castles in Germany, to the Blue Ridge in North Carolina, the tulip fields in Washington, the thousand islands in New York, the beaches of Okinawa, the vast space of Texas, to the salmon runs in Alaska--what an amazing place.
But don't let us get awed by just the creation Lord. We want to see You. May all this beauty point us to You.
Thank You Lord for the rain. Quiet, unpretentious blessing upon blessing.
Thank You for the sun. Light, the source of all life; and You the source of all light.
You know our every need, and You provide.
Thank You for going before us, coming behind us, and placing Your hand on our heads as we travel and move. Your divine wisdom has placed us where we need to be. Forgive us when we grumble in the wilderness and help us to trust.
Help us to bloom now with our shallow roots. Be over our communities, and be the grace amongst us. May our lights shine brightly Lord! Make us Your tools of change.
We pray for Fort Benning, and Fort Jackson, for Fort Bragg and Fort Drum, for Campbell and Hood and Leavenworth, for Carson and Lewis and Richardson and Wainwright and _______.
We especially pray for our overseas posts. Lord, keep them safe. But more than safe, may they be places where people can find You.
I will lift my eyes to the hills and their Creator
Who made all heaven and earth
for He watches me
will not sleep, no never slumber
He's ever over me.
As I come and I go
I am safe for I know
that His care is sufficient for me.
Winter warmth and light
and a shady place in summer
He's ever over me.
Thank You for this job that lets us travel and see so much of Your world.
From the castles in Germany, to the Blue Ridge in North Carolina, the tulip fields in Washington, the thousand islands in New York, the beaches of Okinawa, the vast space of Texas, to the salmon runs in Alaska--what an amazing place.
But don't let us get awed by just the creation Lord. We want to see You. May all this beauty point us to You.
Thank You Lord for the rain. Quiet, unpretentious blessing upon blessing.
Thank You for the sun. Light, the source of all life; and You the source of all light.
You know our every need, and You provide.
Thank You for going before us, coming behind us, and placing Your hand on our heads as we travel and move. Your divine wisdom has placed us where we need to be. Forgive us when we grumble in the wilderness and help us to trust.
Help us to bloom now with our shallow roots. Be over our communities, and be the grace amongst us. May our lights shine brightly Lord! Make us Your tools of change.
We pray for Fort Benning, and Fort Jackson, for Fort Bragg and Fort Drum, for Campbell and Hood and Leavenworth, for Carson and Lewis and Richardson and Wainwright and _______.
We especially pray for our overseas posts. Lord, keep them safe. But more than safe, may they be places where people can find You.
May our communities embrace the hurting Lord. Please use us to rescue the perishing, especially the suicidal soldier. Lord, we pray that You will unleash Your power over this spiritual darkness. May we be prayer warriors, standing in the gap.
We pray for the hurting families in Chattanooga. Lord, please give them the peace that passes all understanding. May the chaplains and ministers be filled with Your words this week. Please turn these ashes into some kind of beauty. Please give our leaders wisdom, and please keep all of our soldiers safe.
Lord, as we rearrange our nests, some of our fledglings are heading out! We pray for our kids going to camp, to college, to basic training. Lead them Lord! Lead them.
Thank You Lord for loving us enough to be a God of the details. We pray for school choices and church choices. We pray for houses to be sold and rented and boxes to find their places. Strengthen our families through these rapids.
We pray for our brothers and sisters around the world: Lord, please bring Pastor Saeed home. Please rescue Your bride in Iraq, and Sudan, and North Korea, and Indonesia, and China.
Open our eyes to Your presence, ever over me!
Sunday, July 12, 2015
July 13, 2015
You, Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord,
You speak and summon the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
From Zion, perfect in beauty, You shine forth.
You have no need of a bull from my stall
or of goats from my pens,
for every animal of the forest is Yours,
and the cattle on a thousand hills.
You know every bird in the mountains
and the insects in the fields are Yours. (from Psalm 50)
You care for every animal. You know when the sparrow falls.
And how You love us. How much more You watch over us like a shepherd, like a father.
We thank You God, for that care. Thank You for providing for us through these bountiful summer days. We need Your protection.
And thank You for forgiving us from our sins, for washing us whiter than the snow. What a beautiful picture of Your overwhelming, complete, perfect forgiveness. All because of Jesus. How beautiful.
Create in us a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within us.
Steadfast to do the right thing.
Steadfast to love our families and our neighbors.
Steadfast to sacrifice to serve You.
Steadfast to follow after You.
We thank You today for our chaplains, and we pray for them--from the Chief of Chaplain's office to the newest chaplain. May they be seen as gatekeepers to You--not to keep people out, but to open the door and show the way. (I Chr. 26) We pray for their reputation. May all they do be honest and glorifying to You.
We pray for their relationships. This week Lord, may they have significant conversations through 'chance' encounters. Lord, use them in life-saving work.
We again pray against the depression that leads to suicide in our soldiers.
We pray for unity Lord. May these brothers and sisters encourage one another.
We pray for strength. Fill them with You, by Your Spirit. We pray for courage.
Lord, may our chaplains be leaders to us all, that we would
watch over Your word
guard Your covenant
teach Your precepts
make offerings.
"Bless all his skills, Lord, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Strike down those who rise against him, his foes till they rise no more." (Deut. 33:9-11)
And may we all fulfill the work You have given us as Your body.
Please keep our children safe through these summer days. Thank You for this time of rest.
Please be with our deployed soldiers. Give our leaders wisdom.
And Lord, please mold us as You wish this week.
Thank You, Mighty One, Thank You!
Sunday, July 5, 2015
July 6, 2015
click here for Hillsong's From the Inside Out
A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out
Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise
God above all others
our Father in heaven
Maker of all
oh, to be intimate with You
to know You more
"Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean..."Jonathan Edwards
Lord thank You for these 'drops'--these multitudes of blessings. But we do want to swim in Your ocean. We want to be overwhelmed, consumed by You.
And we need You to change us from the inside out.
Change our soldiers Lord.
Change our neighbors.
Change our childrens' friends.
Change our husbands' co-workers.
Change our nation Lord God.
Change our chapels.
And Lord please start with us.
We pray for each other, centers of our homes. May we always be rooted deeply into You.
We pray for our friends dealing with cancer:_________________
We pray for our friends dealing with other serious diseases:________________
We pray for those with sick children:______________________
We pray for those with hurting marriages:_____________________
We pray for those with empty nests:____________________
We pray for wisdom with our children
We pray for a deep love for our husbands
And Lord, for those other dreams, those silent wishes, those callings You have placed on our hearts: Give us the courage and the urgency to do what You want us to do. Consume us!
We humbly bring before You our regular concerns:
for the depressed veteran. Rescue them Lord from the terrible miry pit!
for the safety of our soldiers everywhere.
for our leadership, including the Chief of Chaplains office
Amazing Lord, that You would want to be with us.
Oh to be closer to You!
A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out
Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise
God above all others
our Father in heaven
Maker of all
oh, to be intimate with You
to know You more
"Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows. But the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams, but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean..."Jonathan Edwards
Lord thank You for these 'drops'--these multitudes of blessings. But we do want to swim in Your ocean. We want to be overwhelmed, consumed by You.
And we need You to change us from the inside out.
Change our soldiers Lord.
Change our neighbors.
Change our childrens' friends.
Change our husbands' co-workers.
Change our nation Lord God.
Change our chapels.
And Lord please start with us.
We pray for each other, centers of our homes. May we always be rooted deeply into You.
We pray for our friends dealing with cancer:_________________
We pray for our friends dealing with other serious diseases:________________
We pray for those with sick children:______________________
We pray for those with hurting marriages:_____________________
We pray for those with empty nests:____________________
We pray for wisdom with our children
We pray for a deep love for our husbands
And Lord, for those other dreams, those silent wishes, those callings You have placed on our hearts: Give us the courage and the urgency to do what You want us to do. Consume us!
We humbly bring before You our regular concerns:
for the depressed veteran. Rescue them Lord from the terrible miry pit!
for the safety of our soldiers everywhere.
for our leadership, including the Chief of Chaplains office
Amazing Lord, that You would want to be with us.
Oh to be closer to You!
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