O God of all grace,
You have given me a Savior,
produce in me a faith to live by him,
to make him all my desire,
all my hope,
all my glory.
May I enter him as my refuge,
build on him as my foundation,
walk in him as my way,
follow him as my guide,
conform to him as my example,
receive his instructions as my prophet,
rely on hi s intercession as my high priest,
obey him as my king.
May I never be ashamed of him or his words,
but joyfully bear his reproach,
never displease him by unholy or imprudent conduct,
never count it a glory if I take it patiently when buffeted for a fault,
never make the multitude my model,
never delay when your Word invites me to advance.
May your dear Son preserve me from this present evil world,
so that its smiles never allure,
nor its frowns terrify,
nor its vices defile,
nor its errors delude me.
May I fell that I am a stranger and a pilgrim on earth,
declaring plainly that I seek a country,
my title to it becoming daily more clear,
my meetness for it more perfect,
my foretastes of it more abundant;
and whatsoever I do may it be done in the Savior's name.
Far too many of us make the "multitude" our model.
8 but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
9 For behold, your enemies, O LORD, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.
10 But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.
12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
C.S. Lewis once described the state of the unsaved as "winter without Christmas." "The enemies of God have nothing to look forward to!"
But there is a bold contrast here and that is the eternal condition of the believer. "The righteous will flourish like a stately palm tree or like a cedar of Lebanon."
Life is seen in simple terms. I can choose to life life without God, or I can "draw near to Him and develop a finely tuned intimacy, vulnerability, and dependence. He lets me play my instrument in my own style. But as I follow Him, the Master Conductor, I become part of His score."
I like that description. God does, indeed, allow us to "play" in our own style. There are no two of us quite alike. But we are all part of his master "score."
Let me be a "doer" of your words, Lord. Not just a reader. And I pray, along with the Puritan, that I not make the multitudes my model. You be my model. Jesus Christ be my model. You are my refuge, my model, and my king!
I pray for my upcoming test and interview, Father. I pray that one of these will be the right job. And please, help me not take my depression out on my family.
PRAY FOR OUR JUDICIARY
(The Supreme Court is in recess until October.) The State of Virginia can continue its lawsuit to stop the nation�s new
health care reform legislation from taking full effect, according to a ruling of the U.S. District Court.
The California Supreme Court has ruled that Proposition 209 that banned affirmative action in government does not
violate federal constitutional guarantees of equal protection.
Pray for the wisdom of all who wear the robes of the judiciary in our states� and nation�s lower courts.
Grace and peace, friends.