Devotion
Lot’s Rescue
Frances Taylor
When I read about Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, I tend to think about Lot's wife and her turning back just when salvation was in her grasp. The angels had brought the whole family to safety; all they had to do was follow God's instruction not to turn back. It sounds so easy. I wonder what was so important to Lot's wife that she turned back? I'm sure that Lot was grateful to God and to the angels for rescuing him and his family and also saddened by the loss of his wife. We, too, have been rescued. We have been rescued from the fear of death, from the effects of our sinfulness and from eternal damnation. We have chosen to follow our deliverer, our Savior, Jesus Christ. What is there in our lives that is so important to us that we risk losing it all? Because we do turn back, just as Lot's wife. We often return to old habits, old companions that lead us into sinful situations, old temptations that we think won't entrap us. We choose to ignore what has been done for us. Hopefully, we will have the sense to return to Christ, ask forgiveness, and work at moving toward a new way of living instead of returning to the past.
Prayer
Forgiving and compassionate God, how often we ignore your commandments and follow our own ways instead of the way of your Son, Jesus. Give us the graces we need to do your will. Amen.
Night Prayer
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Inspiration
As leaders, we must be trainable, which means we are willing to take constructive criticism as a newcomer and understand that we are serving those we lead. We must be open-minded to the way people have functioned in the past and gentle when announcing the change. God bless us with authority, and we seek to use it for the good of others with humble, teachable hearts.
Prayer
Dear Father, when You select us for leadership positions, we will accept them with humility. Instead of leading with tyranny, we will lead with love and open-mindedness. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Devotion
Good Advice
Frances Taylor
The Book of Proverbs makes for an interesting read. There is great advice in these words and quite a bit to think about. The first verse we have here is pretty familiar. "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom." It is good to remember that God is God and we are not! So often we think that we are in control of our lives, the masters of our fate! We forget that God is in charge. When we think of ourselves as in charge, that's when things go wrong. We put ourselves first, we make poor decisions and suffer the consequences. When we put God first and follow his way, we are at peace. That doesn't mean that we don't run into problems, but God is there to direct us. We only need to ask for direction. It's amazing that a peaceful heart usually means a decrease in stress and anxiety. This leads to a healthier you and goes along with the statements that our days will be multiplied. And even if we don't live as long as we might like, it will be a happier, more ...
Morning Prayer
O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Inspiration
Rejoice and praise; these are not strict duties or obligations for believers per se, but rather something that ought to spring naturally from ones spirit the deeper you enter into God's embrace. So for all ye faithful, sing!
Prayer
My Divine and graceful Lord, I long to sing and praise your name, and to show you that my heart belongs to thee. In peace and joy I rejoice, for the closer I am to your creation the bigger my heart grows, for you are our rock, our anchor, our Heavenly Father in salvation. Amen.
