walk humbly with God

Tuesday Prayer: Awe

~ Heather Davis ~ 3 Comments

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
(Hebrews 12:28-29)

Ancient of Days, You are the Eternal One, the Everlasting God who has no beginning and no end. Creator of all yet uncreated, the very idea of Your infinite nature is an enigma to us.

We confess that too often, we try to define You in finite terms or set limits for You based on the limitations we, ourselves, know because a limited God can seem a more comfortable thing to our mortal minds. Yet You defy those limits constantly because they are not of Your Spirit but only a feeble attempt at understanding You defined by our finite natures.

Lord forgive us for these silly ways! Instead of grappling to understand You or attempting to squeeze the Most High into a box, give us faith enough to simply believe. Help us to trust in You without reservation. Train our hearts to worship You not as we think You ought to be, but with absolute faith that You are who You say You are.

Oh our God, mighty in power and working wonders, as we learn to rest in Your presence and rejoice in Your magnificence, remind us of the one fact we often forget: You do not exist for our convenience and glorification, but we exist for You. To bring glory to You. To honor You with our trusting obedience. To live as ambassadors of Your. joy, holiness, and grace in a darkened and hopeless world.

Today we ask forgiveness for our selfishness and self-focus. In humility, we submit our hearts to You for pruning and for refinement. And Lord, when this process hurts, we choose to trust You because we know You are good and that You love us.

Thank You for embracing us with Your love; for covering our shame with the righteousness of Your Son. Teach us to love others as You love them, and help us to learn how to live for You and not for ourselves. In all our days, Lord, teach us to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. Oh how we love You, Lord our God!

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
(Micah 6:8)

Tuesday Prayer: Grace to Help

~ Heather Davis ~ 29 Comments

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4:15-16)

Most High God, Maker of heaven and earth and King above all other rulers, we are grateful for the incredible privilege of coming before Your throne of grace. That You offer us mercy and grace to help in time of need is really astonishing. Too often, we go about our busy little days, filling our time with things that are temporary instead of investing deeply in Your Kingdom. Forgive us, Lord, for minds set on this world rather than on You.

Forgive us, too, for each time we’ve taken for granted the benefits of prayer. Covered by the righteousness of our Lord Jesus, we are able to approach Your throne with confidence. Yet sometimes we approach with a sense of entitlement or carelessness. Too often, we present our requests before You as if we are delegating a task list. Other times, we rush about and do not approach at all.

Today, Lord, call us to linger for a while. Help us to be still before Your throne and listen to Your wonderful voice. Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, break through to us. Cut through the distractions which rule our minds and pierce any hardness in our hearts. Show us how we ought to walk humbly before You. Show us how to do justice and love kindness – not necessarily in some grandiose and theoretical possibility but in actual acts and words to the people around us. Our families, our friends, our community.

Remove from us the tendency to be caught up in cultural ebbs and flows and instead help us to be anchored to You – the Rock who is higher than we are. May we truly stand firm against the devil’s schemes in day-to-day life, rooted and grounded in Your Word of Truth, living lives surrendered to Your authority, and filled with the joy of knowing and being known by the Almighty God. You are our portion, You are our strength, and You are our motivation. Teach us to live for Your glory in all we do, amen.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
(Lamentations 3:24-25)