Joey's Journal - September 4, 2006

Father, I offer to You my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day. May Your grace of patience, kindness, thoughtfulness, love and compassion be with me today. Lord, let me live my life patterned after Jesus. May Your strength be with me when the enemy attacks with the evil desires and temptations and rebuke his ways. May Your Holy Spirit remind me when I am falling to the devil’s traps and be able to lift my head to You and continue on the path towards You. I thank You for Your provision, protection and guidance in our lives. Lord, watch over us and always be by our side. I pray these in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 31 Love the Lord, all you faithful ones!

O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be put to shame and rescue me for you always do what is right. Be my great rock of safety, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. I trust in you and am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.

My future is in your hands. Let your favor shine on your servant. Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you. You have done so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

Love the Lord, all you faithful ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes all who are arrogant. So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord!

My Reflection – While re-reading the psalm, the phrase that sticks out to me is ‘my future is in your hands’, and I emphasize ‘my future’. Oftentimes, we fail to say ‘my’ and change it to ‘the’. Are we too proud to ask for ourselves, when we pray and we make it like a general request? Our prayers must be personal to the Father, especially when we ask for His Divine Intervention, seeking change in our monotonous sinful life or asking for guidance in the people we deal with or in short, making our future bright. Didn’t Jesus say in Matt 7:7-11 ‘Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.’ (NLT) We need to ask God to start the change in our lives and not the other lives around us. Like prayer, this change has to start with us. And, when we ask the Lord, He will respond in His time. Because of His faithfulness, He will give us what is best future in our lives. Trust in Him completely!

My Prayer – Father, You have mapped out my life for me. I give You thanks and praise for all the blessings You have given to me. I am also asking Your forgiveness for the sins and disobedience I have given You in return. Lord, I confess my sinful ways both past and present; I am terribly sorry for them. Have mercy on me, Father! Let me be restored back to You, acceptable and pleasing in Your presence. I pray these in the Hoy Name of Jesus. Amen.

by : Joey B.