Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Verse 66
The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Verse 72
"Good judgment." Yeah. That's what I need. Teach me that, Lord, teach me that.
For righteousness and godliness to characterize the life and actions of the new President, Vice President and every newly-elected leader.
Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
�Hosea 14:9
O mighty God, You are our perfect and righteous God. There is no goodness or righteousness apart from You and Your ways. Today I praise and thank You for Your perfection and Your holiness. Even though they are unattainable, they put in my heart a thirst for You and Your goodness. Thank You, Lord that Your holiness compels us to be holy.
I pray today for the new President, asking that You will put in his heart a desire for You, for Your goodness and holiness. I pray that You will give him a thirst for wisdom, discernment and understanding from You. Protect him from leaning only on his own wisdom, and cause him to look to You. Cause him and the Vice President and all our elected leaders to desire Your righteousness, so that their steps may be sure. This I ask in Jesus� name, amen.
1 Corinthians 13:3-7
This is possibly one of the most well-known passages of Scripture, with the possible exception of John 3:16. Almost everyone has heard these words read somewhere, if only at somebody's wedding.
What does this sentence mean in my life? "So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."
The previous verses involve speaking in tongues, prophecying and giving everything I have to the poor, even to the point of dying for what I believe in.
If I don't have love, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters without love. I'm bankrupt. Being bankrupt means you don't have enough to get by. You owe more than you have. You can't pay your creditors for whatever reasons. Financially, you've sunk to the lowest possible point.
Well, that's what I am without love. I'm spiritually bankrupt.
But what is love? Howard Jones wondered that..."What is looooooove...anyway? Does anybody love anybody anyway?"
It's hard to define. Very hard. Paul makes a go at it in the next few verses. But it's more of a description than a definition.
Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
Now read that list again. I'm going to. Check each line. How are you doing? For each line, ask two questions: In what ways am I living this out well? In what ways do I need to improve?
I can say pretty well that I don't give up. Occasionally, I do, but only briefly. Then I get right back on it.
I'm about 50/50 on caring for others more than me. I'm pretty selfish.
I typically want a lot of what I don't have, but not to the point that I will steal or cheat someone out of something. So it's not a "coveting" type of desire.
I only strut when the Red Sox beat the Yankees. Is that so bad? Seriously, though, I'm not much of a "strutter."
My head doesn't usually get very swelled, either. I'm pretty humble about getting compliments.
Do I force myself on others, though? Hm...I can be pretty forceful, sometimes. I think I interrupt in conversation a lot.
I try not to always have to be first, but I get upset if someone cuts in front of me. Who doesn't, right? Maybe I need to be the one who doesn't. What is one spot in line, anyway?
I "fly off the handle" occasionally, especially if something doesn't work the way it's supposed to, or at work, if someone didn't do something and it causes me more work. What does that matter? It's not worth getting upset about, is it?
Do I keep score? I try not to. I'm not one who holds a grudge. But I do remember things sometimes. Sometimes for years. And it can affect my life, too.
I hate groveling. I don't ever want to see someone grovel. So no problem there.
I definitely take pleasure when the truth "flowers." I love the truth. I am very zealous (at times overly) for the truth of God's Word, and will defend it vigorously.
"Puts up with anything??" Uh-oh. I fail miserably at that one. Maybe not, though. I put up with a lot. But I grumble a lot, that's the point.
I trust God a lot, but not always. Definitely could improve there.
I don't always look for the best. In fact, I have been very guilty of just the opposite. Recently, though, I have made strides to correct that.
I look back too much.
But I will keep going. Looking back doesn't stop me. But sometimes it makes me waver off the course.
So how did you do? Better than me, I hope.
Teach me to love.
The guide I'm using says to pick one that needs more improvement. Sadly, there is more than one. I need you to "remodel" my life to fit this passage of Scripture. Put this passage in front of me every day for a while. Let me come back to it to check myself. Let the Holy Spirit show me immediately when I'm failing to exemplify these godly descriptions of love.
Teach me to love.
Please.
With God's help, and only with God's help...
YES WE CAN!!!
Ahahahaha....sorry about that. Couldn't resist.
Grace and peace, friends!
PS. There was no political affiliation intended in the above statement.