Devotion
Knowing the redeemer lives
David Jacobs
I have flown quite a lot in my life, having been lucky enough to travel extensively. For those of you that have flown, you may have experienced some anxiety during turbulent moments in the sky. Some deal with it better than others, and I will say, it gets better with time, but everyone has pondered their own death when they have been on a plane.
The moments that scare even me on a plane are when the crew also looks scared. They have been trained and on planes far more than anyone on the plane, so if they look concerned, it can instill true panic. When the most experienced and faithful lose faith, it can be easy to follow along.
Job has lost everything. He is beyond depressed, wondering the point of existence and why God has made him suffer so. It would be hard for friends of his to witness such needless suffering, and I would question God's motives. However, Job still stays relatively calm and faithful. He never loses faith that his redeemer lives, and that knowledge allows him to continue on, even with all the hardships that he has faced.
We all go through our ups and downs, some more down than others.
Prayer
Remember, as Job did, that your redeemer lives. He lives, in us and around us, and all he wants is for us to follow his word and love one another. Leave everything else, to God.
Devotion
Pray for Leaders
Frances Taylor
How often do you or I pray for government leaders? Paul doesn't say to pray just for the leaders we like, either. If we do want a tranquil and quiet life, we need all leaders to turn to God and work for justice for all their citizens. It's probably even more important to pray and intercede for those leaders who work against justice, than for those who are already doing the right thing. For those who are already on God's side, we should give thanks to God that they stay in leadership and continue to do God's will. The same goes for city, state, and even church leaders as well as our national and international leaders. Good leaders should be supported and others need to be held to account for their behavior. Obviously different countries have different forms of leadership, but that shouldn't stop us from praying for them. God does listen even if the answer doesn't come as quickly as we might like. In the case of democracies, we sometimes need a bad ...
Morning Prayer
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Inspiration
We cannot allow ourselves envy, for it corrodes not only our relationships with others but also the things we already have. The end result is that we neglect to value and appreciate things already in our possession, and thus in turn, being ungrateful to the Lord himself for what he has provided. Rather, our energy would be better placed to focus on giving thanks to the Lord and his gifts, here and now.
Prayer
To my Lord above, my Creator and Heavenly Father, by your grace do I come to thank you for all I have. Teach me not to covet others and their lot, but grant me instead the ability to Love and see the blessings you have already bestowed upon me. In return for your grace, I thus offer up to you my humblest of gifts, my Lord -my heart in obedience, is yours. Amen.
