The scripture for today, January 4, is Philippians 1:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:          “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.”

Lord God in whom I live, I move, and I have my being. I touch you with my spirit, feel your presence with my heart, and hear you in the wind. Oh, to be able to be with you. How I long for that day of days. I care not how I leave this world and enter yours. I care not if it be by disease or injury, whether in peace time or war, whether while at my ease or by torture. Your world is as far beyond my imagination as living in the dark and one day seeing everything through rays of sun.

 

Forgive me those fleeting moments when I fear death. Help me see that all I do is close my eyes in this world and open them in yours. Everyone fears the unknown. But with you beside me, there is no unknown.

 

Thank you for friends. No matter how difficult the world gets, you give me friends. A friend is like honey when I am hungry, a stream of living water when I am thirsty, a barrier between me and my disappointments. We mirror each other, we encourage each other, we lift each other up, and in the doing give each other a little bit of heaven on earth. Most of all, you are my Friend and walk with me through life as friends do, hand in hand. Ah, the very thought of walking and talking with my God lifts me to the pinnacle of imagination.

Oh, how I praise you, God of magnificent glory who does everything just right.  You made angels to be in your presence as your servants. You made us to be farther away, but as your children. How you do love us. I guess sometimes I envy the angels because they are always in your presence. But they envy humans.  I am your child. I belong to your royal family.  What honor. What privilege.  What dignity you bestow upon me. And some day, I will behold you as you are and worship you on bended knees.

Forgive me when I become afraid of people because I fear they will turn on me.  If I was dead and only Jesus lived in me, they would not be able to hurt me. Help me not be selfish.

Thank you, God, for all you have done for us through history. We are the center of your world as children are to a loving parent. How you grieve when we fall, and rejoice when we return. Thank you for materializing your words in the form of Jesus.  Oh, to have been able to see and touch him. I am convinced that will happen someday and I will be one with you as the golden rays of sunshine are one with the steadfast sun.

The scripture for today, January 2 (1.2(, is 3rd John 1:2 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:         “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”

I praise you, Lord Jehovah, Creator of all things, lover of all people, and keeper of my soul. You gave me freedom of will so I could choose my own path. You gave me freedom of will to acknowledge you or not, follow you or not, love you or not. You gave me the freedom to allow you into my life, my heart, my soul.  Without this freedom I would just be a robot. If I declared I loved you, it would not be true love. True love has a choice. Such love is like an easy breeze on a warm day, like gentle snowflakes on a cold day. So, at the beginning of this new year, I proclaim my love for you.

I thank you for being with me all last year. It held surprises, of course. Among them were the many ups and downs. My dreams were dreamed and a few came true. And now I look out my window at another spectacular dawn. You have given us a new dawn how many times since you created us? Each dawn holds a promise of starting anew. You are the God of second chances. Thank you for standing by mankind no matter how bad we get. Thank you for standing by me. I know you are there and my heart bows to you in crystal gratitude.

The scripture for today, January 1 (1/1), is John 1:1f, 14a as found in the New Testament of the Bible:          “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning….The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

Mighty God, conceiver, founder, and Creator of this vast cosmos. You are beyond thought, beyond imagination, beyond human mind. You are greater than any galaxy, mightier than any sun, gentler than the softest feather. And, oh, your ability to love ~ it conquers everything that is bad because love is the strongest essence in existence.  Because of this, you created me. Lowly me. Your thoughts never leave me, your kindness never ceases, the honor of your presence never flies away. I extol you, honor you, and bow at your feet.

Please forgive me for not thinking of others more than myself. I get so caught up in my own life, I hide my eyes from others’ needs, others’ goals, others’ plights. Open my eyes and heart to them and help me be willing to leave my little world to spread your love abroad.

Thank you for loving me. You show it every day in the earth I trod, the food I eat, the birds that fly around me for my entertainment. You are in my every delight, my every movement, my every song. I am surrounded and protected by your high walls of salvation, your waters of life, and your light of truth.  How can I thank you for all you have done for me?

The scripture for today, December 31, is Luke 12:31 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:          “But seek his kingdom and these things will be given to

Praise God, you stars on high spreading sparkles in the darkness. Praise him, all planets and comets and moons. Praise him mighty mountains that overlook the plains. Praise him, shimmering oceans deep and rivers that flow playfully over a thirsty land. Praise him, all misty clouds above and rainbows gracing the sky. Praise him, great eagles and delicate butterflies. Praise him, mighty trees and lacy ivy. Praise him old men and young. Praise him young women and old. Praise him children everywhere and angels on high. Praise and worship our Creator and God always.

Father it is so hard to see my own sins. Open the eyes of my soul and help me see myself as you do.

Another year has slipped by on wings of a whisper and a sigh. A year of dreams I have made that sometimes floated away. A year of you trying to straightening out my messes, running after me so I’ll return to you, answering millions of prayers at one time, weeping and laughing along the way, and rejoicing when I, your little child, please you. What would I do without you?  Thank you for  being with me yet another year.

Majestic God of the heaven and earth with all their bewilderments and surprises and astonishments. You made all that exists. You made it all for our pleasure and benefit. You also made it as a proving ground to test the power of love through us. Hate can and never will overcome love. Hate wants to accuse and punish. Hate wants instant gratification no matter who it hurts. Hate loves to hate. Love covers up the wrong in others because it is merciful. Love wants to patiently develop and grow. Love always is strongest. That is you, my God. You are Love and I worship you.

Father, I am so weak in sharing your Words of life to people walking in darkness and not even realizing it. Help me overcome my indifference.

Ah, how can I thank you, my Lord, for making this earth, then becoming flesh and walking among us? We saw your love, we felt your love, we were saved by your love.  Without you, my life would only be getting and earning, building and making ~ all the while, trying to find some meaning in life. You provide the meaning: Life with you is life to its fullest and it is eternal.

Jehovah God, your Master Plan of saving us from Satan is perfect and spectacular.  It will continue, no matter how much we humans and Satan fight it. It will be carried out to the glorious end. Your will shall be carried out because you have the strongest will of all ~ love, justice, mercy. You shall win over Satan and some day walk with me home to heaven. I worship at your feet.

Forgive me when I blame others for sinning and am not willing to look at my own sins. Help me overlook and forgive them, and bury my ego.

Thank you, Lord, for all those who have gone before me in the faith. People like Abraham and Joseph and Elijah who stood alone to believe in and follow you. Thank you for the apostles, their hard work, and enduring terrible pain when he slowly killed them rather than deny you.  Thank you for Christians around the world who believed in you, even when the other people in their countries ~ China, India, Africa, Europe ~ did not. Thank you for those who stood up against changing your rules, even though it meant being burned at the stake. Thank you for my own ancestors, some of whom were loyal to you to the end. May I follow their example and be a faithful Christian ancestor to my descendants.

The scripture for today, December 28, is Hebrews 12:28 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:          “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”

Lord God, you love every one of your children and we love you in return. But sometimes one wanders away. You need to leave the rest of us behind to find the lost one and that is fine with me. I will be okay while you’re gone. Oh, me? You mean me? You want me to go looking for you and find your missing child? Ah, let me think a moment. Are you sure?  Hmmm…  Yes, yes! If you will fill my spirit with your kind of love, then I must go. I will not be able to resist the search. Help me find the lost soul in time. Give me courage to go wherever I must go. And, Lord, help that lost one keep praising you until I arrive.  Me too. I will keep praising you.

Forever I will thank you, Lord for all you did to pay the terrible blood ransom to free me from the one who has been a liar and evil from the beginning. You left the safety of heaven to enter this world controlled by Satan. You challenged Satan and won!  You won! It was not easy, but you were the victor. You didn’t have to give up everything for me. You took the chance and became the champion. Thank you, my Lord. Forever, thank you.

The scripture for today, December 26, is John 12:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:          “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Ah, Lord God, my heart burns within me for you. Burning with the rays of your sun that grace my day. At night it breaks through the darkness from each star firelit with your majesty. Then dawn again. In a blink, your sun is back. But it never really leaves me. For your love keeps my heart warm and bright with the flame of your grace. Someday I will ride one of those sunbeams to you and, in your presence, I shall see your throne ablaze with glory.

Father, I stole something precious from you. I knew other Christians were coming together to encourage each other and worship you, but I said I did not have time. I used that time to go to take a walk in a park.  I stole that hour from you. Forgive me, my Father. Forgive me.

I thank you for your love that will not let me go. Though I sometimes wander from you, carelessly, letting Satan have his way, you run after me calling out, “No! Do not go with him. He is dangerous. He will hurt you. His smiles mean nothing but treachery. I can protect you!  Run! Run away from him! Come back!”  When I am blind, you send me your light so I can find my way back to you. Thank you for loving me that much.