Night Prayer
So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
Inspiration
The world we live in is imperfect. Walking the path of righteousness is not always rainbows and sunshine; we experience many hardships along the way. David consistently cries out to the Lord for help in his moments of persecution. He acknowledges his foolishness in being angry with the Lord and admits to acting beastly toward Him. None of us understand God's timing or plan for our lives. We get frustrated when circumstances do not go our way. Instead of blaming God or becoming angry, we will trust Him and praise His name for always having our best interest at heart.
Prayer
Dear Lord, forgive us for our impatience with Your timing. We trust Your plan for our lives and will wait patiently in the future. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
I Have Heard Their Cry
Frances Taylor
God hears us. He hears the cries of his people when they are being oppressed. In this case, the people of Israel were being oppressed by the Egyptians and God had placed Moses in a position to help them be free. God hears his people cry today. There is oppression in some countries of Christians and also of the Jews. God never abandoned his chosen people, and he doesn't abandon those who have chosen to follow his Son, Jesus. Sometimes oppression occurs in the workplace or neighborhoods as well. Men and women can be oppressed because of religious beliefs, for race, for language, for country of origin, for economic status, or for gender. While I was still in college a friend got a job teaching in an inner city school. Because the children were mostly from poor families and minorities, the budget for supplies was not the same as that for schools in better neighborhoods. People got together and demanded equality. It took time, but God guided them ...
Morning Prayer
The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
Inspiration
Without notice, perhaps unaware, we may never know what our Lord may have in store for us. He may like Moses, call upon us at any moment to do his bidding, or to prove our devotion. We should therefore always be ready, as a hunter lies in wait. Many might sympathize with the feeling common in today's society of either waiting for or expecting a phone call. That is, in essence, how our heart might be poised, waiting on and longing for the command of the Lord.
Prayer
O Lord my shepherd, choose to do with me as your will commands. Unworthy as I am of your grace, I stand ready yet forever in wait of giving you service. Let my strength and patience not wither, nor my resolve weaken. For you are my light, my Father, my alpha and omega, as I strive to be a channel of your peace. Amen.
Devotion
I Will Praise His Name
Frances Taylor
How do I praise God? God doesn't want an animal sacrifice he wants a sacrifice of the heart. He wants a joyous heart, a heart that bursts into song because it can't help itself. A heart so full of gratitude that song is the only way a body can express it. I love music; I love to sing the songs of praise in church. I might not have the best voice but it's the one God gave me so he must think it's good enough. There is something about music that lifts the soul. It's no wonder that the psalms are music. In fact, this psalm even tells us which piece of music to sing it to – "Lilies!" When we think about it, some of the most glorious music was written for religious reasons: Handel's Messiah is but one example. When we listen to the anthems of many nations, we see how they give thanks and praise to God. Whether we raise our voices in song or not, what is important is that we raise our voices in thanks and praise to God. Our prayers acknowledge ...