In praying this passage, this is where I beg of God to incline my heart—the core of my being—toward His Word and Statutes. Even though we are no longer under law, in terms of having to do so and so in order to be in right relationship with God, Psalm 19:7 reminds us that “The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The Statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The Precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The Commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” I don’t know about you, but I want my heart to be inclined toward that which is perfect, trustworthy, right, and radiant…toward that which revives the soul, makes wise the simple, gives joy to the heart, and gives light to the eyes.
Prayer: Yes, dear Lord, please turn my heart toward Your Statutes, and, as the psalmist wrote in 119:11, may I hide your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your Law.—Psalm 119:18
In God’s Law, we see the absolute justice and infinitely-equisite-and-extending love of God. When mankind sinned, God’s Law demanded death as a payment, but because of His love for us, God could not bear for us to be a part from Him, so He died in our place. All of this resulted in a perfect reconciliation of His unwavering love for us and the just demands of His Law. Since God cannot change, He always feels and acts in ways that are consistent with who He is. In Psalm 101:1, the psalmist declared, “I will sing of Your love and justice; to you, Lord, I will sing praise.”
Prayer: Yes, Lord; to You I will indeed sing praise. Oh God, open my eyes that I might see more of You and the immeasurable riches You have ordained for us in Your Holy Ordinances.
Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.—Psalm 90:14
The greatest need of mankind is love; the greatest need of every individual is love. As the scriptures read in 1 John 4:8, “God is Love.” God, my friends, is He and That Which satisfies us most in life: Love. Isn’t it a fabulous thing to know that God’s love is completely faithful, unfailing, and never ending? One of my most favorite passages in all of scripture is found in Jeremiah 31:3, which reads as follows: “For I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
Prayer: Holy Father, may I find my greatest satisfaction in You and in Your everlasting and unfailing love for me and for all humanity.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret ambitions of your heart.—Psalm 37:4
As I wrote in my blog a few days ago, “Generative desire (e.g., God’s Imaginings as they are expressed in and through our own imaginings) is always of God. Cravings are a counterfeit to or a warping/staining of such desire. To delight oneself in God is to find ones cravings transformed back into generative desire which can then be channeled toward life-giving (read, “generative") pursuits.” As I delight myself in God, God’s desires for me become my desires because, as one of His image bearers, His desires begin to be reflected uniquely in my desires just as His Image is reflected uniquely in my redeemed and regenerated person hood.
Prayer: Lord, You alone know my heart. You know it's desires, and You know it's cravings. Oh God, place within me Your Own loving Heart, and grant me the privilege of feeling what You Feel. And, if I may be so bold as to ask, will You give me Your Mind, as well? For my soul longs to think Your very Thoughts, Lord...to see and think about situations and people the way You See and Think about them. Lord, may there never be any secrets between us. Ever. EXCEPT during "our" times of play, for I know that You take great pleasure in creating mystery that I might be spurred to plumb the depths of Your Word and, in time, experience the everlasting pleasure of discovering the things hidden right there between the lines. Oh God, may You and I dwell together in those in-between spaces as I reach up and tie myself into You. Bless me, oh God, for I am desperate for You. Bless me now, bless me soon! For I will NOT let You go until You bless me! I love You, Daddy! With much gratefulness...Your servant, Your friend, Your son...Jonathan-David
"Gray Lady (Ash)," by Kenji Kawai
"Science and Religion," by Hans Zimmer
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