Psalm 16:1, 5-11 – a prayer of David

 

Keep me out of harm's way, O God,

for I’ve come to You for safe haven.

 

You alone are my legacy,

my cup of blessing.

You guard all that is mine.

 

What a pleasant place You have given me!

What a wonderful inheritance!

 

God bless You, Lord, for guiding me.

Even at night, You instruct my heart.

 

I know You are always with me.

With You right here, I will not be shaken!

 

No wonder my glad heart rejoices,

for I rest in safety, knowing

You will not abandon my soul to death,

nor let Your Holy One decay in a grave.

 

You will show me The Way of Life in You,

granting me joy in Your presence

and the pleasure of living with You

forever.

 

 

from the Book of Bible Prayers

Mary Harwell Sayler 

Praying Through A Warning

 

Leviticus 26:14-20 – “If you turn away from Me and refuse to follow My instructions, expect terror to follow! All manner of ills will surround you, and all your hard work will come to nothing. The sky will be like iron against you and the soil like bronze, and the sources of your pride will be destroyed.”

 

Lord, this is not the kind of promise we want to hear! But thank You for letting us know what to expect. Thank You for reminding us that our choices and actions have consequences – as surely as when a child disobeys a parent or teacher, especially after being warned.

Heavenly Father, You have instructed us. You have warned us. If we start to turn from You – or if our friends, family, church, or country start to turn away – please coax us back before we go too far astray. Thank You, Lord.

 

 

Mary Harwell Sayler
from the book, Kneeling on the Promises of God 

 

God Prays for Us and All Creation!

 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep. The Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters, and God said, ‘Let there be’...“Genesis 1:1-3.

The Bible starts with that beautifully poetic account of creation in Genesis. You heard it as far back as you can remember and probably know, too, that the word “amen” means “let it be or “so be it.”

So let us be aware of God as the First One Ever to pray!

 

●       The very first Bible prayers began in the beginning with God’s voice, saying, “Let there be….”  God prayed for the whole universe to come into existence, and it did. And a blessed part of that world includes you and me!

 

●       The “Amen” of God continues to call us to be spiritually alive. Day by day, let us be more and more truly ourselves as the Lord intended. And it is good.

 

●       Let us be in constant prayer aligned with God’s Will with and in Jesus’ Name.

 

Amen.

 

[Note: In Luke 1:38, Mary received the angel’s message from God, requesting her consent to become the Mother of His Son. She responded with this prayer, and Jesus Christ was conceived.]

“Here I am, Lord!

Let it be to me

as You have said.”

...

May we pray the same for ourselves, each other, and all creation!