Monday
The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
Sometimes the right path is not so difficult to find, we just need to know where to begin our search – the reading of God's words. The right way is very seldom just the property of the bright, wise, and scholarly. It is very clear if we will but look for it!
MY PRAYER ...
Holy Father, thank you for making your will known through your words in Scripture. Bless me today as I open your word. May I find not only the answer to my questions, but may I find you and your precious will. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.
Tuesday
All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
The requirements of morality and holiness are not temporary or fleeting because they reflect the nature of our Holy God who is eternal. They don't shift with the wishes of culture, but are true across cultures and times and wishes.
MY PRAYER ...
Righteous God Almighty, may my life reflect your character and nature in compassion, holiness, and justice. I know you are forever, and I want to invest my life in what lasts. Give me wisdom to see through the fleeting temptations of today and do what honors you beyond my lifetime. In Jesus name. Amen.
Wednesday
The Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
When we think about God being our judge, we normally think of falling into judgment. Isaiah reminds us that God being our judge means that he will be there to judge us based on his will, his rule and his grace. He is on our side and is looking to save, not condemn. Using the New Testament idiom, when we stand before our Judge we see instead our Father.
MY PRAYER ...
Holy and Righteous Judge, I am glad that my fate, my future, and my life are in your hands. I know your love for me because of the gift of Jesus. I know your desire to save me because of your loving grace. I know your demand for holiness is met by the sacrifice of your Son. So God, I gladly and willingly trust my life, my soul, to you. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.
Thursday
For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
Jesus, who left heaven and made himself a servant, did so to enable the last to be first, the servant to be greatest, and the least to be best. For ages, the arrogant, abusive and the powerful have found it easy to reject the call of Christ. But those who are humble find him to not only be Savior, but also Conqueror.
MY PRAYER ...
Precious Servant, Almighty King, thank you for coming to our world and serving us at great cost and showing us that we can reign with you. I look forward to the day every other knee will join mine as I bow before you as my Lord. Until that day, I pray that you will use me to bless those so often forgotten by our busy and glamour-intoxicated world. Amen.
Friday
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
In a universe so vast, what is our little planet? In a planet so diverse and so full of life, what are people? Among all the billions of people alive and who have lived and already died, what significance do I have? Jesus reminds us that our significance is great -- not because we are so important but because we are known personally by God. We don't have to be afraid, we are known and loved by the One who is and was and is to come!
MY PRAYER ...
Eternal God, Almighty Father, Tender Shepherd, you already know my heart. You know where I struggle with sin, so please empower and forgive. You know my fears, so please encourage and strengthen. You know my immaturity, so please nurture and grow. You know my weakness and disease, so please comfort and heal. But even if none of these are answered, I am still awed by the fact that you choose to know me. Thank you! In Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Saturday
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
Where can we go when all the walls fall and all the armies crumble and all hope is lost? To the eternal God, who is our Father. He preserved Israel through the most difficult of times, protected the Bible from those who would eradicate it, and has led his Church through troubles and triumphs through the centuries. He will do the same with us until he brings us home to himself.
MY PRAYER ...
My Rock, My Hope, and My Protector, I thank you for preserving my life. I thank you for hearing my cries for help and healing. I thank you for guiding my feet into ways that have been a blessing. Please, O God, stay close by as I face the stresses and challenges in my life. Through your Spirit, enable me to grow and be an example to others as I pass through life's storm.
Through Jesus I ask it. Amen.
Sunday
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
New International Version
THOUGHTS ABOUT TODAY'S VERSE ...
Our treasure and our truth come from Scripture, God's guidance to avoid Satan's harmful traps and live in God's blessed life.
MY PRAYER …
Holy God, thank you for your written word, the Scriptures. May they come alive in my life just as they do in my heart and mind. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.