THANKFUL

Monday, April 20, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, before I realized the extent of Your amazing grace, I was rockin along, top dog of my life, seeing no need of Heaven’s help. Even though for some reason something always seemed to be missing, I thought I had it all together until You showed how I was driving full speed toward a cliff. I’m eternally thankful, Lord, that You revealed to me my need of Your grace and forgiveness. You changed my heart and planted Your Spirit within my soul. I can’t keep this act of mercy to myself. Give me a holy passion to share Your grace with friends who are as blinded as I was of my inadequacies and my need for divine mercy, and a new start in life. You are what is missing in their life.

As people call to you amid this health crisis, we ask You speak peace to our anxious hearts. Help us not be fearful, but in all situations, may we pray, praise, worship and give You thanks. Your perfect love casts out all our fears. We trust You will bring good from this crisis. We pray people will call out to You, and for those who have not given You a second thought, may they find You are everything that is missing in their life.

Protect and bless our first line responders and medical workers. Honor their sacrifices and hold them close to you.

Thankful You still change hearts, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Friday, April 17, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, my soul’s enemy, the devil, is quick to point out that if I claim to be a Christ-follower, why are my actions often far from lining up with Your precepts and values. Regrettably, at times I cannot argue with him. Temptations lure me to wander from the path you’re leading me on, and I’ve swallowed the bait too many times. My struggles are real in this broken world. My imperfections only remind me how dependent I am on my heavenly Father’s grace every day. Your Word reminds me I’m secure in you and nothing can snatch me out of Your hand (John 10:28). Your Holy Spirit quickly points out what a train wreck my life would be if You, Jesus, had not redeemed me, flaws and all.

We pray that only as You can, Lord, use these uncertain times to increase faith in Your believers, and cause those who don’t know You to take a second look at their lives. Open their understanding to realize committing themselves to You is the best decision they could make for their life. Replace fear with faith, uncertainty with a calm assurance amid the storms, and replace doubts with a holy confidence in Your sustaining power and grace. What we are asking, Jesus, is nothing You have not promised to do for those who have placed their faith in You. We can trust You, Lord.

Forgive our sins, heal our nation, bring a holy revival to our country.

Although imperfect, I’m thankful to be forgiven, Lord. Amen.

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, in our government’s efforts to protect us, officials have ordered its citizens to practice social distancing, the act of putting distance between people to guard against infection. People boast on Facebook, Tweeter or Instagram how well they social distance, however this distancing is nothing new. You, Lord God, created social distancing before it was the cool thing to do. Your instructions, found in James 4, are easy to follow. First, “submit to Your Lordship.” And second, as we stand next to You, Jesus, and show our confident toothy smile, command, “That’s enough, Satan. No more!” and watch him stumble over himself as he flees, or social distances himself, from us. Don’t you just love it!

We are trusting that You, Lord God, will bring an end to this pandemic. May You eradicate this plague from the earth. We pray this health crisis will bring people to You and give them the new lease on life they needed. And for Your followers who have neglected their relationship with You, use this crisis to rekindle their desire to draw closer to You again. Bless and protect all the front-line workers exposed to this disease and show us how we can demonstrate our appreciation for their personal sacrifices.

Forgive our sins. As a nation founded on biblical principles, may we return to governing by Your precepts of justice and fairness.

Grateful to live by Your social distancing guidelines, Jesus, Amen.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Good afternoon, Jesus  

Forgive me, Lord. but I watched Netflix’s “Tiger King” docuseries. These dysfunctional people’s vulgar and shameless behaviors left me shaking my head in disbelief. Are these people real? How can anyone be so depraved? During an especially depraved episode, I donned my judicial robe and settled into my place on the self-righteous judicial bench. “Hey, boy, what’re doing?” the Holy Spirit asked.

“Whadda mean, Jesus?”

“Do you think I ration my love? I love these folks with the same fervor as I love you. Don’t you know I paid for their sins just like I did yours?”

Ouch! Forgive me again, Jesus. Then I began to see them differently—as sinners who need God’s grace and forgiveness as much as I do.

Lord, protect our friends in the health care industries, those caring for the sick, especially those in constant contact with the coronavirus infected. Guard them from this disease. Bless and protect our first responders, police, firefighters, emergency personnel and trauma center workers. May we always support them any way we can and show them our appreciation for their services. Give the divine strength and endurance to minister to the weak and needy. We ask You to bring an end to this coronavirus pandemic and may our new “normal” have us re-prioritize what is important in life. And teach us how to love one another as You love us.

Forgive our sins. May we turn from our sinful ways and return to living according to Your values and precepts.

Not judging, just loving, Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Good afternoon, Jesus

Lord, since these are uncertain times, Your Holy Spirit’s discernment is crucial if we are to expose the truth from deception. Dishonest groups push false narratives—one group claims one thing, another declares the opposite is true—all designed to manipulate our behaviors. We have been lied to by those we should have been able to trust but have found out otherwise. And are You as angry as we are how some use Your name to make them sound legitimate? After a little cooling off time, I’m thankful I don’t have the power to command lightning to fall.

Strengthen our obedience to follow Your Spirit’s leading. Amid this crisis, Your followers are never alone. People are anxious and looking for hope. Jesus, You are our hope, our living hope, who will never leave nor forsake us. Help us demonstrate the divine peace we have in You so people will be drawn to You to find this same living Hope.

Thankful You are our living hope, Jesus, Amen.

Monday April 13, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, in Your sovereignty, You have called each of Your followers for a specific purpose and equipped them with gifts and talents to accomplish Your purpose. To discover my purpose, I must adhere to my primary calling of faithfulness to You. Nonetheless, You see the struggle I face daily, how my carnal nature desires to do my will instead of Heaven’s. Lord, whatever You have called me to do, wherever You’ve placed me to speak grace and live according to Your character, may I be found faithful in Your service. Let everything I do be for Your glory, so others are influenced to seek You.

Again, we humbly ask for Your divine intervention against the coronavirus. Bring an end to this pandemic. Replace fear with faith, despair with hope, sadness with holy encouragement. Draw people to You who are seeking stability and purpose as their lives have been turned upside down. As Your followers, let the spiritual renewal our nation so desperately needs begin with us. Forgive us our sins, may we turn from our ungodly and sinful way, and return to living by Your precepts and following Your moral guidelines. Then You can heal our nation.

Living in Your purpose, Jesus. Amen.

Good Friday, April 10, 2020

Good afternoon, Jesus

It was your idea to rip the Temple curtain in half on Good Friday, wasn’t it, Jesus? What a clear way to introduce the New Covenant you ushered into being by your sacrifice for our sins. Scripture tells us the immense curtain, or veil, was 30 feet long by 30 feet high by four inches thick and separated man from God’s Presence. No one except the High Priest could enter the presence of God and if the priest wasn’t in right relationship with God, the glory of God instantly killed him. Although Scripture is silent, I’d wager it wasn’t a slow tear, but a quick rip, and to say the priests on duty in the Temple were startled is an understatement. When on the cross you cried, “It is finished!” and breathed your last, the curtain was torn in half from the top down. Only by a divine act could this be done. Thank you, Jesus, that only by a divine act of your sacrifice for our sins can we now freely enter God’s presence.

Lord Jesus, may we never take lightly your sacrifice for our sins. Your separation from your Father as he poured out his full fury on sin on you was a great price you paid. We can’t imagine how you endured the punishment for every sin ever committed by every person who ever lived. That included my sins which were unfairly dumped on your shoulders. How can I be so arrogant at times to think I’m more than what I am. Only by your grace, Lord God, do I stand in right relationship with you.

Thankful for the big “rip,” Jesus. Amen.

Thursday April 9, 2020

Good afternoon, Jesus

Lord, on this Maundy Thursday, we see the beauty of your gentle hands. The talented hands that crafted the masterpieces in your carpentry shop would transition to the healing hands that touched and cleansed the lepers, lifted the lame to their feet, raised Jairus’ daughter back to life. At the Last Supper, your tender hands washed the dirt, mud, dung—all contaminates from your disciple’s feet, even the feet of the one you knew would betray you. A few hours later, these same hands, which God used to create the universe, and nothing was created except through you (John 1:3), you allowed to be cruelly nailed to a wooden cross. But three days later, your “nail-scarred hands” would wash the dirt, mud, dung—all contaminates from our souls forever. We cannot say “Thank you” enough!

Humbled to be washed by your hands, Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday, April 08, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

“We can rejoice too when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance” (Romans 5:3). Lord, I admit my attitude about this Scripture stinks. It’s hard to do my happy dance when the elements for rejoicing disappear. Surely there’s another way to develop endurance. If not, do you have a spiritual “endurance” app I can download? When I chose to follow you, I became aware where these problems originate. So why do I need to increase my endurance? Because the devil never stops bringing trials and problems. Assure me, Lord, of your Holy Spirit’s presence when these problems never seem to go away. Protect me by changing my attitude to look for your higher purpose in these trials.

Reveal your cure for this coronavirus. We pray for a quick and complete recovery for those who have contacted this disease. Comfort those who have lost loved ones and minister to their souls with peace and hope. Use this crisis to draw people to you to find peace amid calamity. Protect all medical and emergency workers, police and firefighters from this virus.

Forgive our sins, heal our nation. Let us live by your standards and principles.

Changing my attitude toward problems, Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday April 7, 2020

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, headlines incite fear in people’s hearts today. “Devastation Awaits Around the Corner.” “Get Ready—The Other Shoe is Gonna Drop Any Minute.” “Worldwide Panic Over COVID19” and so on as the media competes with one another to be the most sensational.

In our carnal nature, we’re tempted to ask, “Why?”We need your Holy Spirit within us to calm our fears. You’ve called us to ask “How?” How will you use the inconveniences of this health crisis to influence our faith? Jesus, help us release our faith to trust that you somehow will use the worst of this coronavirus to make us better, more devoted Christ-followers. May your Spirit transform each follower to be the person you destined them to be to fulfill their role in your kingdom.

We pray an end to the coronavirus, and it be eradicated from the earth. Bring complete recoveries to all infected with the disease and pour an abundance of grace and peace to those who have lost loved ones. Guard all the hospital workers, nurses, doctors, first responders, police, firefighters and emergency personnel as they risk their health to treat and serve us. Provide the needs for all who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Draw people to you who before had no use for you, but now see their needs in a different light. Bless and protect all the truck drivers, warehouse and grocery workers, all who serve to keep life as normal as possible.

Forgive our sins, heal our nation, let us choose to live by your standards and principles.

Open our spiritual eyes to see “How?” Jesus. Amen.