May we trust in the Lord. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV)

Why does this verse make such a powerful and essential prayer? Because we need God to direct our paths!

We live in tumultuous times, often confused with several choices before us, not clear on the direction we should take. In such times without realizing it, we can begin to trust in our own effort and energy, our own common sense and experience. We wouldn’t put it that way, but what’s the evidence of our lives? Are we ever scrambling to meet deadlines with too much to do, charging forward to do the next thing, leaning on past experience, the way we’ve “always done it”? In our haste, we may fail to be still (Psalm 46:10), to seek the Lord (Jeremiah 29:13).

This verse goes on to say that in all our ways we are to acknowledge the Lord. This means more than acknowledging His presence. The root word is yada, meaning to know God through personal experience. Whose path does the Lord direct? The one who trusts Him with all his heart, leans not on his own understanding, who knows and lives in a close personal relationship with Him.

Lord, may our trust in You never waiver!

May We Not Grow Weary in Doing Good

Help us not to grow weary in doing good…. (Galatians 6:9)

Why this verse? Because the rest of this verse promises “we will reap a harvest if we don’t give up”! We all need to remember this when we’re worn out, when things don’t seem to go right, when we can’t see our way clearly: if we keep on, we’ll reap a harvest!

In those times when we want to give up, we come to our God “who is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8) In all things at all times, having all that we need, we will abound. What a wonderful old-fashioned word, brimming with energy.

Be encouraged when you feel overwhelmed, for our Lord promises “He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” (Hebrews 6:10) And, “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Corinthians 9:10)

Our Lord supplies what we need, and He brings in the harvest. He doesn’t forget our hard work and the love we have shown Him as we help His people. What wonderful promises for those who don’t grow weary in doing good.

Help Us to Pursue Righteousness

Our prayer for each other: Father, help us to pursue righteousness. (1 Timothy 6:11)

Why this verse? Because there are so many promises related to righteousness! Scripture tells us the Lord loves righteousness and those who pursue it (Psalm 33:5; Proverbs 15:9). He watches over the way of the righteous (Psalm 1:6), His eyes are on them, His ears are attentive to their cry and He hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. (Psalm 34:15, 17) And when we seek Him and His righteousness, He meets our needs (Matthew 6:33).

It’s true that we are righteous in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), that our righteousness comes by faith (Romans 9:30). But it’s practical righteousness that we’re to pursue, choosing to live upright lives, setting our hearts to conform to God’s will in thought and deed. We pursue right living, as best we can in His strength (Philippians 4:13). When we fail, we confess our sin, and God in His mercy cleanses us of our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Let’s pray for ourselves and our loved ones that we will pursue righteousness, for the prayer of the righteous pleases God; He hears their prayers (Proverbs 15:8, 29). Those who sow righteousness, reap a sure reward (Proverbs 11:18).

Father, help us to pursue righteousness—in Your strength and by Your grace.

Worship and Obey--and the Lord Will Provide

Help us to worship and obey You (Genesis 22:4, 18).

This is an important prayer for those in need of God’s provision because God revealed Himself to Abraham as Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord Will Provide (Genesis 22:14). Context in Scripture is always important, and when we look at Genesis 22 we find that Abraham was a man of worship, who by this time in his life obeyed the Lord immediately and without question.

God had told Abraham to take Isaac, his “only son whom he loved” and sacrifice him on Mt. Moriah. Abraham didn’t hesitate. Even as Abraham raised the knife to slay his son, the angel of the Lord stopped him. Abraham saw a ram caught in the thicket—God’s provision for the sacrifice. It was there that God identified Himself as Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord Will Provide.

What is the lesson for us? Certainly this gives us a glimpse of God giving His only beloved Son as a sacrifice for us, once for all. But it is also a picture of our God who wants to provide for our every need. He is our Provider! However, in context, to whom did God reveal Himself as Jehovah-Jireh? To Abraham, a man who worshiped and obeyed Him.

God can provide anything to anyone. But doesn’t it make sense that if we want to be certain of His provision, we should be those who worship and obey Him as Abraham did?