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Written by Mark D. Roberts, a contemporary author.

If you are a person who prays, you have surely experienced both the pleasure and the puzzle of prayer. In a way we will never fully understand, the Sovereign God allows us to participate in the unfolding of God’s own will. Thus, when we pray, we submit to God’s will and, at the same time, tell God what we’d like God to do. Mysteriously and graciously, God receives our counsel and acts upon our requests. Sometimes God says “Yes” in stunning and delightful ways. Sometimes God says “No” in ways that feel puzzling and disappointing. Often God says, “Wait,” which can give us hope sometimes and discouragement at other times. We will never fully understand why God answers our prayers in the way God does, this side of Heaven, at any rate. Yet we continue to pray, trusting that God knows what is best even if we can’t figure out God’s ways.

Prayer:

Written by Jill Weber, a contemporary spiritual director and the director of Houses of Prayer.

God, I give You my unmet expectations, my frustrations, and my questions. Is there something that You know about me that I don’t Something that You are doing in me that I don’t yet understand or appreciate? I listen now to receive your perspective.

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Written by L. B. Cowman (1870-1960), a missionary and author. This is an excerpt from her book “Streams in the Desert.”

Waiting is much more difficult than walking. Waiting requires patience, and patience is a rare virtue. It is fine to know that God builds hedges around His people–when the hedge is looked at from the viewpoint of protection. But when the hedge is kept around one until it grows so high that he cannot see over the top, and wonders whether he is ever to get out of the little sphere of influence and service in which he is pent up, it is hard for him sometimes to understand why he may not have a larger environment–hard for him to “brighten the corner” where he is. But God has a purpose in all HIS holdups.

Prayer:

Written by Lesli White, a contemporary writer.

Teach me dear Lord to know wonder. If You are willing, I am waiting, ready to receive my blessing today. Amen.

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Written by Kyle Norman, a contemporary pastor and author.

God’s unyielding love is the plotline of the entire Bible. You cannot understand who God is or what God has done without understanding that God inwardly moves with a desire to shower you in Love. It is love that defines all of God’s actions, just as it is love that defines all of who God is.   It is love that was incarnated in Jesus and love that was displayed on the cross. When we think about our lives, the love of God is the very atmosphere in which we reside  … But it can be hard to recognize God’s love for us in this world of ups and downs, twists and turns. Our performance-based world of merit and deserve tells us that we earn the good things in our lives. And so, we may think that God’s goodness is a product of how good or perfect we can be … we are children of God, loved by the Father. 

Prayer:

Written by Emilie Griffin (1936-2022), an author on spiritual life.

Dear God, help me to know that I am your child. Teach me to weigh the meaning of this title “Children of God.” Show me the power of your purifying love, and make me patient for my own transformation. Amen.

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Written by Alan Redpath (1907-1989), a British evangelist, pastor and author.

I have had a clear view of Jesus. I have seen Him, felt Him, and I have known Him in a far deeper way than simply by the outward physical appearance; I have felt the reality of His life begin to burn in my heart. I have seen in Christ the glory of a life that is totally submitted to the sovereignty of God. That glory has begun to take hold of me, and I have begun to see that this is the one life that God expects of any man He made in His own image. I have seen the marks of the cross upon Him, and by His grace, the marks of the cross have been put upon me and I am no longer my own; I am bought with a price, redeemed by His precious blood. Yes, I have seen Him—not in the outward physical sense only, but in the inward sense of a deep spiritual reality. I have had a clear view of Jesus and my life will never be the same again. We all…the weakest, the poorest, the most sinful, the most defiled. The spiritual aristocracy of the church of Jesus Christ…the sinner saved by grace. It is the soul who has come like the publican of old and said, “God be merciful to me a sinner” and it is the soul bowed before Calvary and seeing (as Paul saw) the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Prayer:

Written by Stormie Omartian, a contemporary author. This is an excerpt from her book “Praying God’s Will for Your Life.”

God, I acknowledge You as Lord over every area of my life this day. Help me walk in Your perfect will in all that I do and everything that I say. Amen.

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Written by Timothy Keller (1950-2023), a pastor, preacher, theologian, and Christian apologist. This is an excerpt from his book “The Gift of God: Romans 1-7.”

God’s revealed wrath is the cause of the disintegration we see all around. Because God’s punishment is simply to “give us over” to the things we worship and want, the reality of God’s wrath is seen in the fact that we do just that—worship created things and look for our meaning and purpose in them. So God’s wrath in the person who, having rejected the truth, cannot understand who Jesus is; the person who has made choices in their life which have left them disappointed or despairing; the father who doesn’t see his family because he is chasing the promotion he “must have”; and so on. When we sin, it sets up strains in the fabric of life in God’s world, and leads to breakdowns spiritually, psychologically, socially, and physically.

Prayer:

Written by Julia Bruce, a contemporary speaker, author, and CEO of Wellspring Christian Ministries.

Father, give us a hunger and thirst for righteousness that causes us to seek after you with all our hearts, minds, and soul. May we say, with David, “As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for you.” God, reveal and convicts us of any idols we have created in our lives. Help us to see the lie of the idol and exchange it for Your truth. God, today, your people stand before You, choosing to throw down our idol and bow before you in worship and praise of our Holy and loving Creator. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

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Written by Christopher D. Hudson, a contemporary author. This is an excerpt from his book “Following Jesus.”

Any gathering of people is a miracle. Think of all those diverse people possessing all those different abilities. There is the girl with the aptitude for languages next to the man with the extraordinary singing voice. Around them are skilled musicians, artists, inventors, administrators, and athletes. Every group is a unique hodgepodge of one-of-a-kind talents. The gathering of God’s people is a miracle on another level. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit dwells in every believer in Jesus. And the Holy Spirit gives God’s people spiritual gifts for building up the church—such as the gifts of encouragement, teaching, service, hospitality, or generous giving., We don’t get to choose our spiritual gifts. God does that. But when we discover our gifting, develop it, and use it to serve others, God is honored, the church thrives, and we find extraordinary blessing.

Prayer:

Written by Christopher D. Hudson, the author of today’s meditation.

Lord, show me what my gifts are and show me how and where to use them to help grow your church. Amen.

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Written by Max Lucado, a contemporary pastor and author. This is an excerpt from his book “In the Footsteps of the Savior.”

The word race is from the Greek word agon, from which we get the word agony. The Christian’s race is not a jog but rather a demanding and grueling, sometimes agonizing race. It takes a massive effort to finish strong. Likely you’ve noticed that many don’t. Surely you’ve observed there are many on the side of the trail. They used to be running. There was a time when they kept the pace., But then weariness set in. They didn’t think the run would be this tough. Or they were discouraged by a bump and daunted by a fellow runner. They may be Christians. They may come to church, but their hearts aren’t in the race. They retired before their time. Unless something changes, their best work will have been their first work, and they will finish with a whimper.  By contrast, Jesus’ best work was his final work, and his strongest step was his last step. Our Master is the classic example of one who endured. The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that Jesus “held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him” (Hebrews 12:3). The Bible says Jesus “held on,” implying that Jesus could have let go. He could have quit the race. But he didn’t. He “held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him.”

Prayer:

Written by Roy Lessin, a contemporary writer. This is an excerpt from his book “His Footsteps, My Pathway.”

Lord, You are my strength, my sanity, my security, my salvation. Your hand upholds me, Your grace sustains me, Your power supports me. Keep my feet moving forward, keep my faith looking upward, keep my hope pointing homeward. Make a roadway through every rugged mountain, make a pathway through every stormy sea, make a highway through every dark valley. I do not put my faith in my own timetable but in Your perfect plan. LORD, however long it takes, I will trust You I receive Your grace to endure all things with pleasantness of spirit, calmness of soul, and thankfulness of heart.”

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Written by Francois Fenelon (1651-1715), a French Catholic Archbishop, theologian, poet, and writer.

The more you seek for God, the nearer He will be to you; every step that you take toward Him will bring you peace and consolation.

Prayer:

Written by Jessica Van Roekel, a contemporary writer.

Holy God, we bow before you, awestruck by who you are. You are light and life, grace and mercy, just and right, and filled with love and power. Let our hearts draw near to you today. We seek you with all our hearts because we know that our desires are found and fulfilled in you. We want to know you, Lord. You desire relationship and so we say, yes. Yes, Lord. Reveal yourself to us today as we seek your face. Without you our becoming loses its fire and our doing loses its purpose. Guide our steps and our hearts ever closer to you. Help us to know your voice and respond when you call. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Written by Thomas Kelly (1893-1941), an American Quaker educator and writer. This is an excerpt from his book “The Sanctuary of the Soul.”

It is an amazing discovery, at first, to find that a creative power and life is at work in the world. God is no longer the object of a belief; He is a reality, who has continued, within us, His real presence in the world. God is aggressive. He is an intruder, a lofty lowly conqueror on whom we had counted too little, because we had counted on ourselves.  Too long have we supposed that we must carry the banner of religion, that it was our concern. But religion is not our concern; it is God’s concern. Our task is to call people to “be still, and know that I am God,” to hearken to that of God within them, to invite, to unclasp the clenched fists of self-resolution, to be pliant in His firm guidance, sensitive to the inflections of the inner voice.

Prayer:

Written by Tiffany Thibault, a contemporary speaker and writer.

Oh Lord, please help me this day. Give me eyes to see how you are at work in every one of my circumstances. Lord, give me perseverance to increase my understanding of you. Give me a hunger to read your Word and to seek to know you more each day. Just as the dawn comes with its exact precision, help me to trust that You will also move in my life, in your perfect timing and in your beautiful way. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

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Written by John Calvin (1509-1564), a French theologian, pastor and reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation.

For when Scripture enjoins us to lay aside private regard to ourselves, it not only divests our minds of an excessive longing for wealth or power or human favor, but eradicates all ambition and thirst for worldly glory, and other more secret pests. The Christian ought, indeed, to be so trained and disposed as to consider that during his whole life he has to do with God. For this reason, as he will bring all things to the disposal and estimate of God, so he will religiously direct his whole mind to Him. For he who has learned to look to God in everything he does, is at the same time diverted from all vain thoughts.

Prayer:

Written by Francis of Assisi (c1181-1226), an Italian Catholic friar, deacon, and preacher.

Lord God: you alone are holy, you who work wonders! You are strong, you are great, you are the Most High, you are the almighty King, you, holy Father, King of heaven and earth. Lord God: you are Three and you are One, you are goodness, all goodness, you are the highest Good, Lord God, living and true. You are love and charity, you are wisdom, you are humility, you are patience, you are beauty, you are sweetness, you are safety, you are rest, you are joy, you are our hope and our delight, you are justice, you are moderation you are all our wealth and riches overflowing. You are beauty, you are gentleness, you are our shelter, our guard and our defender, you are strength, you are refreshment, you are our hope. you are our faith. you are our love, you are our complete consolation, you are our life everlasting, great and wonderful Lord, all powerful God, merciful Savior! Amen.

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