Devotion
A debt we can never fully repay
David Jacobs
I am not too fond of the feeling of owing people anything, be it money or even a favor. I always do my best to pay people back right away, because I feel guilty of taking something from someone and not being able to pay them back. I do not particularly appreciate owing people so much that I will not ask when I need help, even though my friends and family would certainly help me with no hesitation. Worst of all, I sometimes do not ask God for help, because I feel that I owe Him most of all.
Taking on debt and feeling indebted makes me feel helpless. "Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8) In these verses, a widow comes to Elisha with creditors coming and no money to pay them. The widow asks Elisha for assistance, and Elisha asks God. All that she had was a jar of oil, and Elisha tells her to ask her neighbors for jars as well. She did, and the jars became filled by God, and she could feed her family and pay her debt.
Sometimes asking for help is the hardest part. We may feel unworthy; we may be embarrassed; we may feel ashamed at being unable not to know what to do. Everybody needs help sometimes, and our friends, family, neighbors, and God are all willing and able to help. "Ask, and it shall be given unto you." It is easier said than done, but once done, it seems so easy.
Prayer
Precious Lord, forgive me for not asking for your help when I need it. Forgive me for pushing you away when I should have pulled you closer. Help me to be more open with you and those closest to me so that they can help me when I need it and I can say they will be more willing to come to me for help. Lord, I am forever indebted to you. We are all indebted to you, for your son, Jesus Christ, has paid the debt for our sins. In his holy name, I pray. Amen.
Devotion
We will Do It
Why do you obey
Frances Taylor
Moses came down from the mountain and told the people what the Lord had commanded. They all said, Okay! No problem! As we shall see in a few days, that didn't last long. The Israelites said yes over and over to God, and then said, no, over and over again. So much like us! It's a good thing God forgives us over and over again. It is always interesting to read the full account of the commandments and their amplified meaning in Exodus, because it gives an idea of what the civilization was like in those days. The commandments were not all totally new as many of them were based on the code of Hammurabi. The first three commandments were new as they listed the proper behavior towards God. The other seven concerned social behavior and social structure. So, what's the difference between Hammurabi's code and the Ten Commandments other than the first three? The difference is in the why. We don't obey the commandments because they promote civility...
Morning Prayer
Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
Inspiration
Our mouths may be filled with all sorts; idle chatter, gossip, news, profanities or slander. Yet it would be best of all to fill it with praise and love. God gave us our voices to not only communicate, but to choose our words wisely. Don't use it to injure or babble, but to spread his gospel and praise.
Prayer
Lord Almighty I exalt your name on earth as in Heaven. Grant me the wisdom and the will to spread your name and deeds, to use my voice for beauty and truth rather than lies and disparagement. Grant me this Lord, in your holy name I pray, Amen.
