The Morning Watch

Sitting here on my deck, watching a storm roll in across the prairie skies!! It’s beautiful. Oh wait, it’s a storm, but it’s beautiful. Just like the storms of life. The ones that press us in to knowing the heart of God better. The ones that drive us into His Word of truth, and into prayer. The storms that remind us, God is still good and God is still love. The ones that teach us to say with Job, “Though He slay me, YET will I TRUST HIM!!” (Job 13:15) The storms that teach us to say with Habakkuk, “Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls--YET I will REJOICE in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (3:17, 18) “Even so Father, for so it seemed GOOD in Your sight!” (Matthew 11:26)

The eyes of the LORD [are] on the righteous, (those made right by faith in Jesus) And His ears [are open] to their cry.                 *I am so thankful that I pray to a God who hears! Not a god of wood and stone, but the God who spoke this world into existence!  The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. *What is your burden today? The Lord hears!  The LORD [is] near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. *A broken heart. A crushed spirit. Are you hurting? The Lord is near!  Many [are] the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. *There is One who can and will deliver you!! Whatever your need, I know He has the answer! Let us trust in the Lord with all our hearts! 🙏🏻 -Psalm 34:15, 17, 18, 19

Heavenly Father, Creator of heaven and earth, I pray for many that are contemplating suicide. I pray that the light of your Spirit would pierce the darkness of their heart and mind. I pray that those who are strong will comfort those who are weak. I pray that we would not become self-absorbed in this time of self isolation, and self protection, but more than ever before we would become others focused. “Others Lord, yes others! Let this my motto be, help me to live for others that I might live like Thee!” I pray that each of us would find someone to reach out to. I thank you Lord that you reached out to us! I thank you for leaving the comfort and protection and beauty of Heaven, to enter this sin cursed earth. You came to redeem it. You laid your life down to save us. Help us to lay down our lives to save others! Show us how in the best way possible. Help us not to love our lives but to lose our lives for the good of others! In Jesus precious name, amen!