Day 14: Military

Read Psalm 91—David’s prayer for the Military

Reflect | “In God We Trust”—our nation’s motto—brings honor, protection, and victory to all who serve in America’s military and who pledge this motto for every order and mission of assignment given by the Commander in charge.

Pray | Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

Psalm 91

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies in the day.
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
    though ten thousand are dying around you,
    these evils will not touch you.
Just open your eyes,
    and see how the wicked are punished.

If you make the Lord your refuge,
    if you make the Most High your shelter,
no evil will conquer you;
    no plague will come near your home.
For he will order his angels
    to protect you wherever you go.
They will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
You will trample upon lions and cobras;
    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

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Day 13: Praise of Christ

They said with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! -Revelation 5:12

 

Reflect |  Worship comes from “worth-ship”. What do you consider worthy? What do you give weight to in your life? Your time, money, thoughts, passions, and affections are great indicators of what you give weight to in your life. Philippians 2:9-11 says one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord. The more we dive into the wonder of the Gospel (Jesus in my place), the more we will praise and worship Jesus Christ.

 

Pray | O God, the human tendency of the heart is to manufacture idols to give weight to, worshipping the created things rather than the Creator.  Tune our hearts to sing Your praise. Let the things of this earth grow strangely dim, in the light of Your glory and grace. Amen.

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Day 12: For those in nursing homes

 

Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.  I am the Lord.  -Leviticus 19:32 (NIV)

REFLECT |  For many people visiting nursing homes is not a pleasant thing to do.  Caring for others and doing good deeds is not always easy.  Over 1.5 million Americans live in these facilities today and visiting and praying for them are ways we can show our love for them.   Jesus told us, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”  (Matthew 25:40).  

PRAY |  Lord, we are thankful for nursing homes and for those who dedicate their lives to care for our older friends.  For those living in these homes, we ask for comfort and joy.  May they feel your presence and know they are precious to you.  May they be treated with dignity and respect.  We also ask You to be with their families and caregivers who have a challenging job.  Please give them strength when they become tired and help them to be sensitive to the needs of these wonderful loved ones.


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Day 11: For those in poverty

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them. –Luke 15: 1-2 (NRSV)

 

REFLECT | Poverty is not a sin; but any collection of the impoverished often includes those whom we associate with sin. While Jesus promises the poor will always be with us, in Luke’s gospel, a slew of Jesus’ parables promise even the “undeserving” end up paid, invited, fed, and found! Not only that, where people are impoverished, the Kingdom of God throws a party for them. 

 

Frederick Beuchner observes: “God is the eccentric host who, when the country-club crowd all turn out to have other things more important to do, goes out into the skid rows, soup kitchens, charity wards—to bring home a freak show. The man with no legs who sells shoelaces at the corner. The woman in the moth-eaten fur coat who makes her daily rounds of the garbage cans. The wino with his pint in a brown paper bag. The pusher, the whore, the village idiot standing at the blinker light waving his hand as the cars go by. They are seated at the damask-laid table in the great hall—candles lit and champagne flutes filled. At a sign from the host, the musicians in their gallery strike up “Amazing Grace.” If you have to explain it, don’t bother.” 

 

If we are not helping the poor, we are failing as followers of Jesus. 

 

PRAY | Holy One, help us to find room at our table for all.

 

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Day 10: Hospitals and Healthcare Professionals

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Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise his holy name.Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and HEALS all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion    -Psalm 103:1-4a

REFLECT | Patient-centered care has become the standard for Hospitals and Healthcare Professionals. No longer are patients referred to by their disease or condition or procedure.

We often prayer self-centeredly. What if we focused on who God is and not what we want from Him?

PRAY | Almighty God, we shift our focus from what we want or need, to whom you are! We seek first You and Your kingdom. Amen.

 

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Day 9: Safety in Schools

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Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn from it.  –Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

 

REFLECT | How many times over the last few years have you been watching TV or listening to the radio and you’ve heard something like this “We interrupt this program with breaking new: there has been a school shooting at ______!” Even our community has been shocked by the news that someone had brought a gun to school a rumor was started to that effect.    For over 40 years I was connected to a local school system: as a teacher, counselor, and a school bus driver, and I always felt safe at school…even while I was growing up. However, in our day and times when a resource officer must be figured into a school’s budget, I’m not so sure I would feel safe were I in the school system today. Much of the problem may lie in the fact that many parents no longer train their children before they come to school.

 

PRAY | O, Lord we ask for parents who will train up their children in the ways of goodness, kindness, and obedience so that they will come to school ready to learn.  We pray that schools will once more be a safe haven for the children, teachers, and all personnel associated with the schools.  We pray that the senseless school shootings will cease, and schools will be a place of learning for the children.  We pray, O Lord, for your protection and your watchful love and care for all schools in this country but especially the schools in our county.  Amen.

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Day 8: Pray for our children

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” -Matthew 19:14

REFLECT | May we never take for granted the impact we can have on the life of a child and our responsibility towards them.

PRAY | God our Father, we your children give thanks for your never-ending love this day.  Your love for us spreads as far as the east is from the west.  Your love has sustained your people throughout all generations.  We take time today to give you thanks for the little children in our lives, our community, and our world.  We pray for their safety and security, recognizing that you have called each of us to work to ensure their well-being.  Hold these young ones in your grace today.  Especially remember those who are hungry, who are neglected or abused, who have lost their homes and live as refugees in foreign lands.  Remember the those who are separated from their families, in the foster care system, and for those who await an adoptive family.  And we will remember that your son, Jesus Christ, instructed us with these words: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” and “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.

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Day 7: Pray for our families

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Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. –Deuteronomy 6:4-9

REFLECT | It is said that there are 23 million young people who live without God, there is a generation far from God, an indifferent generation, a generation that says it does not need God.  


God has not changed in His purpose seeking the world to attract Him with His strings of love, today more than ever we must transmit at home the demonstration of love for children, to have as a lifestyle the practice of devotionals with the family to share and to teach God’s Word.  God promises well-being, long life, success, victory, and blessings.  Let us be transformative families of communities, of cities, let us be strong families in the faith, family of influence, empowered families filled with the presence of God.

PRAY |  Lord may we be understood in the times we are living, Lord fill us with Your presence in our lives, every home, every family, every community, every city to be transformed and to make You known to our children.  We ask You to raise up a generation that loves You, to know Your name, God of salvation.

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Day 6: Praise of God

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It is good to praise the LORD … proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.  – Psalm 92:1-5

REFLECT | Psalm 92 is an invitation to begin and end each day by giving thanks to God for his love and faithfulness. But what if you don’t look forward to a new day? It’s easy to be thankful when everything is going our way. But what if your health is failing or you are confined to your home? Some people spend their days in bed, unable to do the things they want to do. How do you give thanks when life is nothing but a disappointment? God’s grace makes it possible for us to thank him every day for his faithfulness.” If it seems almost impossible to thank God, ask him for grace to learn to say thank-you in spite of your difficult circumstances. In Romans 8:39 the apostle Paul tells us why: nothing can “separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That, says Paul, is reason enough to give thanks.

PRAY| Lord, give us the grace to praise you in spite of what might happen to us. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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Day 5: Pray for marriages

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. – Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

 

REFLECT | Marriage is an amazing blessing from God. God chose to put a man and woman together who would glorify him as one flesh. For our marriages to bring Him glory, we need humility, gentleness, patience, and His love. May our marriages be a demonstration on the earth of God’s love for His Church.

PRAY | Father, we thank you today for the covenant of marriage. We ask that you grant us patience, humility, and gentleness in our relationships. May Your love heal and restore broken marriages in our community and that we would learn to love one another as You have loved us.

 

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