“O LORD my God, may I go out now to the work of another day, still surrounded by your wonderful loving kindnesses, still committed to your loyal service, still standing in your strength and not my own.
Read MoreI falter where I firmly trod, And falling with my weight of cares Upon the great world’s altar-stairs That slope thro’ darkness up to God, I stretch lame hands of faith and grope....
Read MoreThere is no prayer in this passage. Well, that’s not exactly true. We have spoken of prayer as a dialogue with God. In that sense, Abraham answering God, “Here I am,” can be viewed as his prayer. What kind of prayer is this? We have seen that prayer is more than just petitions. Praise and thanksgiving, as well as lament and grievance and protest, can be viewed as prayer, too. Prayer is any thoughts or words that we direct to God. Here, when God calls Abraham by his name, he answers by saying, “Here I am.” What kind of prayer is that? It is like calling on the name of God to start our prayer, expressing our readiness to engage God in prayer.
Read MoreWhen the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” (Gen. 21:15-18)
Read MoreThen Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. For the LORD had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. (Gen. 20:17-18)
Read More“O MOST gracious God, grant that in everything that happens today I may carry with me the remembrance of the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ my Lord.
Read More“GRACIOUS GOD, as the day ends I come, seeking you. I cry out to you to create a little pool of heavenly peace in my heart as I lie down to sleep. I want to let go of the busyness, noise, and worries of today, so that my heart and mind can be still as I wait expectantly for you and meditate on your love.
Read More“And as they brought them out, one said, "Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away." 18And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!" 21 He said to him, "Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.” (Gen. 19:17-22).
Read More“And as they brought them out, one said, "Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away." 18And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!" 21 He said to him, "Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.” (Gen. 19:17-22).
Read More“And as they brought them out, one said, "Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away." 18And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!" 21 He said to him, "Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.” (Gen. 19:17-22).
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