Daily Devotional - 9/30/15

Prayer Focus - Wants



Day 5
Pray for:
One thing you want to understand about God
One characteristic you want to develop that will help you to be more loving towards others
One dream you have for your life
One issue in your character that you would like to see changed
One regret that you would like to move past


Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 90


"Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.  Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.  You turn men back to dust, saying, 'Return to dust, O sons of men.'  For a thousand years in Your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night.  You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning - though in the morning it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered.

We finish our years with a moan.  The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Teach us to number our days aright that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us: establish the work of our hands for us - yes, establish the work of our hands."  ( vs. 1 - 6, 9b - 10, 12, 14, 17  )


We have come from God, and we will return to face Him.  The unseen is unfathomable, but sometimes I can slightly catch an understanding.  What if I had never been born, didn't exist at all.  What if I had never had the chance to experience life here on earth or anywhere for that matter.  That thought has always made me slightly nauseous because I love life.  I am so grateful that I exist, even on the worst days. 

Life is so strange.  We are here, and then we are gone.  Where do we go?  What is important?  So many unknowns.  But we can know a few things.  We are here now.  There is something beyond us, and we will die someday.  Seventy or eighty years if we have the strength.  Isn't that the truth?  Living can be hard.  Living can be confusing.  But we know, we can see, that there is something special in us that is keeping us alive and when someone dies, that spark that made them who they are is gone and now there is just an outer shell.  They are no longer here. 

So if we are here and then gone, and if God remains, what is really important?  If I am going to fly away back to God, I had better be ready for that.  We need to face this reality, that this time here is really just the pause before the real life begins.  If what comes after earth lasts for eternity, time without end, then that is so much more important than what I have on my to do list today.  I do need to number my days correctly.  I can not believe that I am almost 50 now.  It seems that I was just a child.  Time has gone by so fast and it will never come back to me.  Each moment is gone forever.  What will I make of my remaining days?  Realistically, my life is already half over, unless I can somehow manage to stay alive until I am 100.  I must remember this and focus.  I no longer have time to waste, if I ever did.

I want to be satisfied by God and God alone.  I want to awake and be content with His love.  I want to really live while I have the chance and no longer be afraid.  Fear is so binding; so limiting.  Only God can do this.  It is not within me.  I turn to God and pray that His favor will rest upon me.  I pray that His favor will rest upon you.  I want to make a difference in this world, that it mattered that I was here and that I left things better than I found them.  Yes Lord, establish the work of our hands and help us to walk with You and no longer be afraid.



Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We are here.  We know that this is not all there is.  The unknown is frightening, but You say that perfect love drives out fear.  Your love is perfect.  Please drive out our fear.  Help us to see life as You see it and to have the proper priorities.  Help us to truly live.  The time is short.  We want to make it count.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen



QFT


1. Do I ever think about how short life is?  Do I think about eternity?  Why or why not?  How can thinking about these concepts help me?

2. Do I think about what I would like to accomplish with my life?  Are my goals in line with God's?  How do I know? 

3. Does my relationship with God motivate me?  Am I in love with God?  Does His love satisfy me or am I looking for something else to make me happy?

4. Am I joyful?  Why or why not?  How could I cultivate more joy?  How could changing my priorities affect my joy level?

5. Do I feel like God's favor is on me?  Why or why not?  What work do I see God blessing in my life?  Is it different from what I would like to see God blessing?  Is what I consider my work the same as what God would consider my work?  Why do I think this?