5th. August.2022. Daily Devotions.

Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

I tend to err on the side of caution. If there is risk involved, I will pause and evaluate the situation so that I can make a decision that will keep me as safe as possible. At an early age I learned that respecting things like the law of gravity and the authority of people in charge was better than disrespecting things that I cannot control.

That helps me understand what the author of Proverbs is saying here. Fearing the Lord does not mean fearing God, as if he were a tyrant waiting to take his anger out on us. To fear the Lord is to give him respect and reverence. After all, God is the Creator who graciously made a covenant with his people. He deserves our respect. God has promised to provide his people with all that they need. He deserves our reverence.

Revering the Lord is the first step in developing a vibrant relationship with him. Revering God calls for us to submit ourselves humbly to him—seeking him, listening to him, and obeying him. Fearing the Lord puts us in the position of a servant who loves God and trusts God. That is where God wants us to be, and that is where we need to be.
~ I. Heerema.

Creator God, you are good, and you are great. Thank you for letting me know you and thank you for always being willing to know me. Amen.

Teach us, good Lord, to serve you as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds; to toil and not to seek for rest; to labour and not to seek for any reward, save that of knowing that we do your will; through Christ our Lord. Amen
~ Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Heavenly Lord, weaver of life and cementer of relationships, we pray that you will weave us into your goodness and into each other. Give us grace we pray, to follow closely in the way of your Son by offering a place of belonging at your table to immigrants, to people who are homeless, to people seeking asylum and to all who find themselves on the margins of our society. Help us, Lord, to offer all who need it a new and safe place in which to be. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

For Joy in God’s Creation

Heavenly Father, who has filled the world with beauty; Open my eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that rejoicing in your whole creation, I may learn to serve you with gladness, faithfully managing your bounty; for the sake of him by whom all things were made, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Meditation

“Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones. And when you have laboured to accomplish your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.”
~ Victor Hugo

Prayer for hospice patients

“God, thank you for being with us right now.  We confess that we don’t understand why things happen the way they do.  We don’t understand why illness comes into our lives, but we do know that you walk every path of life with us.  Remind … that you are walking with her right now.  Remind … that you love her, no matter what she is going through.  I also pray for her family. Give them your strength as they care for …. God, we thank you that you never leave us, that you never forsake us, but you love us.  We trust you and pray this in your name.  Amen.”