Isaiah 35:5-6 “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;  then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy...”

When I look over my prayer list at a glance, it is filled with requests for healing of some sort.  I have several friends suffering diseases of some kind.  There are petitions for guidance and relief of worry.  Laced in among the requests I see joys.  A rejoicing for healing given and praise for reconciliation lay entwined between the petitions.   A few days ago we remembered my Mom’s passing away four years ago.  Last night I was informed that a dear friend’s Mom just passed away and I know one of the people I pray for daily is waiting for the call that their sister has passed on as well.  In the midst of sorrow and grief, it is hard to see the blessing of God.  As I look back at the time of my Mom’s illness and since then, there has been an abundance of grace and healing given to my family by God.  I look to the day of redemption for all with hope and rejoicing; these verses speak to that day.  There will be a day when we all join together and in wholeness and Love, sing for joy to the Lord, our God.  I will sing in hope on this day.

Lord,

You are God of healing and grace; You are God of love and light.  Please open our eyes and unstop our ears, heal our brokenness so we can see, hear and leap for you.  Lift our hearts and voices in songs of hope and praise to you, the God of all.  Amen.

Psalm 139:7-8 “Where can I go from your spirit?  Or where can I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.”

I hate to admit it but there is a part of me that wants to run away sometimes.  I have run away in different ways many times in life and only by the grace of God have I come to him on my wandering path.  As I meditated on this passage a couple of sayings came to mind: “you can run but you cannot hide” and “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”.  I am guessing that second one didn’t really mean running away, what do you think?  When I was just a child, I ran away from home.  I took my bike and with the help of my best friend I ran away to her house.  I was astonished and discouraged when we got there because as soon as we arrived, my bike and I were promptly placed in a car and driven back home.  That child, the one that wants to run from difficulty, still lurks in me.  I thank the Lord that I hear his voice louder than the little one telling me to escape.  I know wherever I am and whatever I do; the spirit of God is there.  He is always with me, He lives in my heart.  Whatever you are going through, whatever you are doing, take heart, God is with you.

Lord,

We either honor you or dishonor you with our thoughts and actions.  Please forgive any dishonor I have brought on your name and guide my thoughts, desires and actions so that if I run, it is only into your Holy arms of Love.  Amen.

Hebrews 1:3 “He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word...”

This is the side of Jesus we don’t really learn about as children.  We first learn of him as a tiny baby in Bethlehem and some people never move beyond that image.  Almost immediately the stories show him at a young age in Jerusalem for a festival.  He stays at the temple teaching while his parents frantically look all over the city for him.  When they finally find him, he cannot understand why they looked anywhere else.  We flash forward to the baptism of a 30 year old man who is starting his life ministry.  There are many stories and teachings to read from his ministry and it will take a lifetime or more to truly learn and understand them.  How do we see Jesus in those stories?  Do you picture him blending into the crowd or is there something different that makes him stand out?  The verse from Hebrews tells me He must have stood apart from the crowd because “He is the reflection of God’s glory”.  He is a gentle shepherd, a friend and leader, a teacher and healer.  He is also “sustains all things with his powerful word”.  He is no longer a baby in the manger; He reigns with power and majesty!

Lord,

Thank you for coming down to teach us from the very basic to a depth we cannot yet grasp.  Thank you for the promise that you will sustain us. Your word is our guide, help us hear you and have ears to listen.  Amen

Acts 5:32 “And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Have you ever been a witness to something happening and then just kept quiet about it?  Maybe you weren’t sure what you saw or you didn’t want to get involved for some reason but you tucked it away in your mind and did not share that story.  Occasionally I hear stories in the news about witnesses coming forward years later to tell their story bringing justice or healing to another person.  What led that person to come forward?  Did that story lurk and simmer in their hearts the whole time or did they ignore it for a long time and then it popped up again somehow until they were convicted and had to share it.  The disciples had every reason to hide the story they had witnessed.  They knew they would be persecuted, jailed, beaten and possibly killed for spreading this story that they had witnessed.  That did not stop them.  The Holy Spirit gave them the courage and the strength to go forth and spread the gospel story.  The Holy Spirit will give us the courage and strength to share the love of God with each other and to love one another as He loves us.  Let us go out and Love!

Lord,

You promise to give us what we need to serve you as you call us to.  Open our hearts to receive the guidance your Spirit gives so freely.  Help us move in Love and Light each moment of today so that all we are and all we do will bring glory to your holy name.  I thank you and praise you.  Amen.

Job 13:5 “If you would only keep silent, that would be your wisdom!”

We live in a world of noise.  Often times there is a television on in the background of homes, a radio or music on in the cars and talking, playing or banter of some sort going on all day long.  Even when it is quiet, there is the hum of a computer, the ticking of the clock or the barking of a dog.  Silence is a discipline I thought I could handle pretty well.  I am, by nature, a quiet person.  It is harder than I thought.  I am certainly fine with no TV and no radio.  I enjoy the time when everyone is sleeping and the house is quiet.  Getting my mind and heart to be silent in the presence of God is another matter entirely.  As I sat this morning trying to be silent, little thoughts and prayers would slip out.  My mind would wander off on a tangent or something would come to mind that I needed to do or pray about.  Maybe God brought those prayers to my heart.  As they came I quickly lifted them to the Lord and tried to silence myself again.  I like the idea of sitting, silently, in the presence of the Lord.  I want to just be with Him.  He knows my every thought so no words are necessary.  It may be true that silence is golden.

Lord,

Thank you for the gift of quietness.  In this busy, chaotic, always on the go world, it is a blessing to sit in silence with You.  Your presence is renewing and healing, soothing and refreshing.  Help us all take time to receive this blessing of silence with you.  Help us listen, only listen.  Amen.

Proverbs 23:26 “My child, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.”

Last night was a Mom’s night out with my homeschooling group.  The topic of discussion was building character in our children.  There were many helpful ideas shared and loads of resources referred to but when I come right down to it, I walked away with two things.  The first was to teach by example.  How I treat my children and how I treat others teaches my children character traits.  They learn what they see.  One of the ladies told how she grew up in a house of door slamming.  When her Mom was upset or angry she would slam doors.  As a girl she was not “taught” to slam doors but when she grew up, she says she could slam doors with the best of them.  Children learn what they see.  The word of the Lord is our guide.  As we learn to be children of God, giving Him our hearts and observing His ways, we are able to live according to those ways.  This is the second thing I walked away with.  I need to learn from the Word and I need to teach my children the Word.  As we both learn to walk a little closer to God’s ways, good character will grow.  In the meantime, I need to remember grace.

Lord,

As you allow each day to be a new start for me, help me allow that for all your children as well.  As I realize character building is a lifelong task, open my eyes to observe your ways this day and every day.  Father, my heart is yours.  Amen.

Psalm 103:1 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

He has done great things so I bless his holy name.  I lift my voice in prayer and praise.  I fold my hands and bend my knee in worship and adoration of his greatness.   There is healing in the midst of sickness, restoration in the midst of brokenness, love in the midst of hate and light in the midst of darkness.  Where ever I look I can see struggles, hardship or evil lurking.  Where ever I look I also see strength, endurance and goodness overcoming it all.  We recently lay to rest one of our elder church members.  It is always so hard to say good bye to someone we know and love and tears of sadness freely flow as we grieve.  This week will mark the four year anniversary of my Mom passing away and the shadow of sadness is there.  Even in those sorrows and sadness I see blessing and love from God.  He brings compassion and mercy to us through his Spirit and through others.  He gives us his word to guide and to comfort us.  I could write for days about how much he has blessed me.  Can I do the same for how I have blessed Him?  I want to bless his holy name with all that is within me.

Lord,

I lift you up this morning.  Help me serve and bless you today.  Use my hands, my words, and every part of me to bless you and serve your kingdom.  Thank you for all the many blessings you give each of us every moment, every day.  Help us live in gratitude and thanksgiving.  Amen.