Jesus Will Bring Us Safely Home

Day 51:  Psalms 25:12-19

            Psalm 25:12 Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. 13He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. 14The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.

            Lord, You are great and holy (Is 6:3). There is no one like You (II Chron 14:11). We honor You and reverence You above all others (Ps 95: 3). Yet we must confess that we do not honor You as we should (Rom 1: 21). We let the fear of men and fear of circumstances cloud our judgment (Prov 29: 25). We fear other things, people, and incidents more than we fear You (Is 51: 7). Like Peter we let the winds and the waves distract us and we forget the One who made the wind and the waves right in front of us (Matt 14: 25 – 32). Forgive us and strengthen us to believe and follow You more consistently (Mk 9: 24).

            You have allowed us to follow You and trust You and honor You to some degree by the redeeming work of Your Son our Savior (Matt 6: 30; 8: 26). You have given us a place to stand (II Sam 22: 7). Lord, fulfill Your Word. Teach us Your will and Your way and help us to walk in it (Is 30: 21).

We have not chosen You, but You have chosen us. You have chosen us to bear fruit and bring glory to Your name (John 15: 16). We are Your sheep, and we hear Your voice as Your Holy Spirit guides us through Your Word. We know You and follow You because You have worked in our hearts and caused us to be born again to a new and living hope (John 10: 27; II Cor 4: 6; I Pet 1: 3).

            You have prospered us in the way (Josh 1: 8). You have restored the years that the locust has eaten (Joel 2: 25). You have pulled us up out of the miry clay and set our feet upon a rock (Ps 40: 2). Your praise is on our lips and from our hearts (Heb 13: 15; Ps 111: 1). You have kept Your covenant to us and to our children (Neh. 9: 32 & 33). We pray Your ongoing watch care over all the children of our (Your) congregation, for those who know You and the children who do not know You (Is 54: 13). Help the prodigal children to return to You (Ps 51: 13). Help the faithful children to remain faithful. Lord Jesus, You said that we should allow the little children to come unto You (Matt 19: 14). Help us never be a stumbling block to them (Rom 14: 13). Instead let them hear Your voice (Jn 10: 3). Carry the little lambs in Your arms (Is 40:11).

            Most holy God, You are the One who we serve, honor, and adore. You are above all. All the rest of creation would fall apart without You, even the angels in heaven need You. You alone need no one and no thing. All the rest of Your creation is dependent on You to survive, to exist. You sustain us, provide for us, guide, and direct us. Lord, we humble ourselves before the One who alone can cast body and soul into hell for all eternity.

            Forgive us, forgive me, for letting lesser fears trouble me. You are with me, with all Your children to bless us and care for us. The plans You have for us are for good and not evil to give us a future and a hope.

            Lord, You have promised to care for us and for our descendants. Lord, we, like King David, do not deserve Your many graces and mercies to us, but we thank You and praise You and pray that You would strengthen us to live up to this high and holy calling that You have given us.   

            Psalm 25:15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net. 16Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted. 17The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses! 18Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins. 19Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred.

            O God, You have kept my eyes toward You. In and through the Lord Jesus Christ and because of what He has done for me, You have helped me through times when I was confused and could not see or understand the road ahead. Even in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death, You have been with me to comfort me and see me through. How often You have reminded me that Christ was forsaken so that I would never be forsaken. Yet there are times when the floods seem too deep, the fire too hot, the enemies, too great. Even during these times, You have been with me to strengthen me and help me. How I thank You. How I praise You. When I walk through the waters You have been with me. The fire has not overwhelmed me. I have been pressed on every side, yet not forsaken. I am weak, but You are strong.