Oh, and I'm at work tonight, trying to get caught up on four missed days of devotions.
For all cabinet and cabinet level leaders to truly seek to be led by God, desiring His wisdom and help as they fulfill their responsibilities
I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
--Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
Holy God, thank you that You lead and instruct us with Your wisdom and good counsel so we do not lose our way. We praise You for this today. Thank You for not abandoning us but for giving us Your presence and Your holy word to guide us. You promise wisdom and help when we simply ask, and for this I praise and bless Your holy name, O Lord God!
O God I ask that You work in the lives of each member of President Obama�s cabinet as they serve our nation together and separately. Lord, I ask that the enormity of their responsibilities will drive them to their knees, seeking wisdom and help from You every day. Protect them from pride and self-absorption that they may be faithful to their calling and may serve America with faithfulness and godly wisdom from You. In Jesus� name, amen.
"The amount of what is stated is, that whenever the people should call upon God in the temple, it would manifestly appear, from the effect which would follow, that the ark of the covenant was not a vain and illusory symbol of the presence of God, because he would always stretch forth his omnipotent arm for the defence and protection of his people. The repetition teaches us that true believers cannot be too constant and diligent in meditation on this subject."
(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)
Revelation 2:7,10-11,17
Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches.
Fear nothing in the things you're about to suffer...
Christ-conquerors are safe from Devil-death.
What has God been trying to say to me lately? What recurring themes have I noticed in Scripture?
I think the one thing that has been coming up a lot during the past few months (and even last year) is that God wants me to have a deeper love for the Body. I'm speaking largely of the people that I go to church with. He wants me to have a very deep and intense love for the Body of Christ. This would be true even if I weren't a worship leader, but because I am a worship leader, I believe it should be even more intense.
What does God want to say to me today?
First of all, he wants me to know that I am invincible. I know that seems to have come out of left field (why is it always left field??), but I actually read that in the John Calvin reading that I quoted above. "There is, therefore, nothing to hinder us from boasting that we shall be invincible by his power." The key words there are "by his power." If I rely fully on God's power, I can be invincible.
The second thing I believe God wants to tell me today is in the passage from Revelation that I read tonight. "Christ-conquerors are safe from Devil-death." Hold on! That's almost the same thing as being invincible, isn't it? Yes, I believe so. So, we are safe. We have nothing to fear. "Fear nothing," is what John says to the churches in Revelation 2. It's hard to fear nothing, isn't it? But we know from Scripture that Christ's love, which is perfect, casts out all fear. We just need to act on that truth.
But there's something else I want to talk to you about tonight, God. I need to learn to listen to you better. I don't listen very well, and I need you to teach me how. Show me how you speak to me most frequently. Or at least how you attempt to speak to me. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see what you are trying to say to me.
Carpe vita eternus, friends!