Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 122:1-9
Ps 122:1-9
I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. There the thrones for judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels." For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you." For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.
Heb 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Pray. There is no measure to the power of prayer. Pray about everything. When we find joy in prayer – and not see it as a duty – it will change our lives. The more we pray, the more we will see the results of our prayers. This in turn, encourages us to pray even more. When we see God answering us, we need to give thanks to him.
Prayer is more than asking God for things on our wish list. Prayer is praise. Prayer is thanksgiving. Prayer is asking for guidance and wisdom. Prayer is acknowledging that we need God. Prayer is asking Jesus to hold our hand and give us comfort, to give us peace, to make us feel purpose and meaning. Prayer is talking with God.
I have several siblings and when I am with them, we talk about almost everything. Whatever is on our hearts, we open up about it. We share ideas and thoughts. We open up about struggles and strengths. The same should be true when we talk with our Father or with Jesus our brother. We should talk with them about what is on our hearts and minds. Joys. Heartaches. Accomplishments. Failures. Pray!
O Lord, what a joy to know that I can open my heart to you and talk with you at any time. What a thrill to know that you care enough to listen to me, even when I ramble or get sidetracked in my thoughts. Thank you for knowing what I need, even when I don’t know myself or when I don’t know how to express it in words. Help me learn to listen to others better so I can be more helpful to them. Open my eyes to see opportunities to do good more clearly. Help me be more focused on Jesus and on becoming like him in every way. In his name I pray.
Robert
