Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
(Psalm 141:3-4a)
O Lord God, heavenly Father, You are the creator of mouths and lips and hearts. You designed hands, feet, fingers, and toes. Help me use well, to Your glory and my neighbors’ well-being, all that You have made; and prevent me from misusing in ways either small or great, any gift of Your giving. I ask this through Christ Jesus, Your Son. Amen.
Then Jesus said to him,
“Put your sword back into its place.
For all who take the sword
will perish by the sword.
(Matthew 26:52)
You know, holy Father, that I am fearful and angry about many things these days and am even willing to disguise my failures of faith as justice and piety. Remind me that nothing healthy results when violence is answered with more violence. Lead me to Jesus, to learn His forgiving, peace-restoring grace. Amen.
And they all plotted together
to come and fight against Jerusalem
and to cause confusion in it.
And we prayed to our God to set a guard
as a protection against them day and night.
(Nehemiah 4:8-9)
Satan still plots against Your Church, Lord Jesus, and schemes to confuse Your people to our harm. Protect me and all believers, I pray, that we remain certain of Your salvation and confident that Your plans for us are altogether good. I pray this in Your name. Amen.
“No servant can serve two masters,
for either he will hate the one
and love the other,
or he will be devoted to the one
and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
(Luke 16:13)
In hatred toward neither but love for both, You served God and sinners, Lord Jesus. Your servanthood was perfect, fully in accord with the will of Your Father and entirely unselfish for the blessing of others. Rid my heart of all greed, I beg You, that I serve God and neighbors with pure devotion. Amen.
“I am not worthy of the least
of all the deeds of steadfast love
and all the faithfulness
that You have shown to Your servant.”
(Genesis 32:10a)
What saints have said before, I repeat, O Lord: I deserve no blessing from You. My sinfulness should disqualify me for any gift of Your love. Yet in Christ Jesus You have shown me the greatest love of all. You have forgiven my sin, named me Your child, and promised me a place in heaven. Alleluia! Amen.
For we know that if the tent
that is our earthly home is destroyed,
we have a building from God,
a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens,
(2 Corinthians 5:1)
What a relief! Even if my earthly life is taken away, I have eternal life in Christ Jesus, my Lord. Spirit of God, keep me confident of this holy truth, so that I live this life in discipleship that is bold and loving while looking forward to the promised life that is glorious and everlasting. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The sun stopped in the midst of heaven
and did not hurry to set
for about a whole day.
(Joshua 10:13b)
Forces of nature and forces of evil must bow before You, almighty God, to do as You command. Hurricanes, droughts, and earthquakes have taught me to take seriously the forces of nature; teach me by Your word to take seriously the forces of evil and fight against them by faith in another Sun, Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
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