Written by Chuck Swindoll, these encouraging devotional thoughts are published seven days per week.
Our Father, we acknowledge that we need You, and our need is not partial; it's total. It's not occasional; it's always—today especially. We pray for those who wrestle with the very real problem of loneliness. It's not dated; it surfaces regularly in every generation.
Thank You for the joy of this day. Thank You for the pleasure of a relationship with You and with a few good, caring, loving friends. And especially, Father, thank You for the truth of Your Word that lives and abides forever.
We pray for parents. Strong and brave, may they stand. May they set their hearts on You for the protection of their offspring, especially those who serve in the military. We pray for loved ones and family members and friends who grieve the loss of those taken in terrorist acts and in fierce combat on the battlefield.
We acknowledge that death is the last thing we want to think about, but thank You for bringing us face to face with reality. Thank You for the gift of living on earth and the reminder that our days are fleeting. Make us ready for the harsh moments that are before us, calm our spirits, and remove our fears.
Father, we acknowledge that anxiety is not simply a worrisome little habit but rather, it is a sin...a repeated sin. Worry compromises our fellowship with You and with others. We thank You that the death of Your Son, Jesus, provided the payment in full for our sins, including the sin of worry. We trust Him to take care of our worries, just as the psalmist said, "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken."
Our Father, we confess that placing Jesus first in our lives precludes competition from all other loyalties: that no hobby or occupation or pursuit, however engaging, can contain all of our passion. No relationship, however intimate, can compete with Christ for first place in our hearts. No possession, however prized, can come between us and You.
Lord, we give You thanks for the genius of the family. It's all Your idea. We pray we'll have very sensitive hearts as we grow in these areas of nurturing and discovery.
Lord, today we are living in a culture that has forgotten Your pattern for marriage. The world has lost its way because Your Word is being ignored. We have gotten the threads of that divine tapestry all mixed up, and the whole thing is a mess.
Lord, we realize that this is straight talk from You: "Preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." It doesn't win votes, but it gets attention. It doesn't promise that we'll get our way, but it teaches truth. Your way is the best way...forbid that we ever go any other way. We've tried those ways. They're all dead-end streets or, if not that, they lead into dangerous swamps.
Lord God, Your Son has closed yesterday's door, therefore Your people don't have to live enslaved to sin or shame anymore. Not because we've been strong and good and noble, but because You have transformed our lives. You've changed our course of direction. Even though You've left us on foreign soil, as aliens and strangers, we have a home in heaven. And sometimes we get pretty homesick!
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