29th. September 2020. Daily Devotion
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19
CS Lewis wrote:
The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. That other, larger, stronger, quieter life should be the Lord speaking to us as we seek Him in prayer.
Reuben Archer Torrey was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Torrey wrote: “Oh, men and women, pray through; pray through! Do not just begin to pray and pray a little while and throw up your hands and quit; but pray and pray and pray until God bends the heavens and comes down.”
What did R. A. Torrey mean? I suspect he meant that we must pray and keep on praying until we get an answer from God. Perhaps the idea of “praying through to the end of a matter.” Pray until you get an answer. I do think we often give up too quickly when it comes to praying about things.
He also wrote: “You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” Prayer enhances us and empowers us for life!
Lord, let me remember to pray until You answer! Amen.
A Prayer to love others today
O holy Christ, who has commanded us to love others as ourselves, it is a challenge to follow this commandment; many times, every day I judge another, or grow angry, or look down upon someone. Or I am simply selfish. I try to brag subtly, so that others will glorify me without me seeming conceited. I buy shiny new things I do not need just so that other people will be impressed. Sometimes, I pretend to love others, when inside I know my words are a lie.
My prayer is that you will help me to burn your love on my heart, so that I may know the peace of loving my fellow man. Let me be sincere in choosing good over evil. Let me seek my glory in you, Lord Christ, instead of in my own image, my own fame or status; for status is no more than vanity, that will disappear in the blink of an eye. Soften my heart so that I feel true sympathy, and so I value others just as I do myself.
May your Holy Spirit, who is with me, guide me in everything I think and do, this day and always. Amen
For the refugee crisis
Heavenly Father,
you are the source of all goodness, generosity and love.
We thank you for opening the hearts of many
to those who are fleeing for their lives.
Help us now to open our arms in welcome,
and reach out our hands in support.
That the desperate may find new hope,
and lives torn apart be restored.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord,
who fled persecution at His birth
and at His last triumphed over death. Amen.
For the cold and homeless
God of compassion,
your love for humanity was revealed in Jesus,
whose earthly life began in the poverty of a stable
and ended in the pain and isolation of the cross:
we hold before you those who are homeless and cold
especially in this bitter weather.
Draw near and comfort them in spirit
and bless those who work to provide them
with shelter, food and friendship.
We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
