Welcome to Week 37 of A 2020 Prayer Life!
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Don't short-circuit the process by reading ahead. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
September 9
"I will say to the LORD, 'My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!'" (Psalm 91:2 NASB)
In that verse from the Psalms, the Psalmist calls the Lord "my refuge" and "my fortress." We have given thought to the Lord as "Refuge" in earlier weeks. This week, we turn our attention to the Lord as "Fortress."
A number of people in Scripture refer to the Lord as a fortress or, more personally, as "my fortress." And so, in your prayer time now, make that your title for God. Call Him "Fortress." Call Him "My Fortress." Make that part of how you address Him during your prayer time this week. And as you do, talk with Him about these questions.
(1) What does "Fortress" reveal about You?
(2) What does "Fortress" reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How could my calling you "Fortress" impact and influence my relationship with You?
In that verse from the Psalms, the Psalmist calls the Lord "my refuge" and "my fortress." We have given thought to the Lord as "Refuge" in earlier weeks. This week, we turn our attention to the Lord as "Fortress."
A number of people in Scripture refer to the Lord as a fortress or, more personally, as "my fortress." And so, in your prayer time now, make that your title for God. Call Him "Fortress." Call Him "My Fortress." Make that part of how you address Him during your prayer time this week. And as you do, talk with Him about these questions.
(1) What does "Fortress" reveal about You?
(2) What does "Fortress" reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How could my calling you "Fortress" impact and influence my relationship with You?
September 10
As with so many of the Bible's titles for God, vocabulary and imagery is employed that is not uniquely divine. Instead, the language is often borrowed from ordinary human experience. So it is with titles like father, shepherd, king, and such. And so, too, with the title "fortress."
Accordingly, we have some sense, quite apart from God, of the attributes of a "fortress."
Borrowing from that understanding, then, thoughtfully list some differences between a good fortress and a poor one.
Next, turn that thinking into a list of attributes that would characterize a good fortress.
Now with those lists before you in prayer, tell the Lord what you have learned about Him as your Fortress. Praise Him for His attributes as a Fortress. And thank Him for your experiences of Him as your Fortress.
Accordingly, we have some sense, quite apart from God, of the attributes of a "fortress."
Borrowing from that understanding, then, thoughtfully list some differences between a good fortress and a poor one.
Next, turn that thinking into a list of attributes that would characterize a good fortress.
Now with those lists before you in prayer, tell the Lord what you have learned about Him as your Fortress. Praise Him for His attributes as a Fortress. And thank Him for your experiences of Him as your Fortress.
September 11
As we have been reminding ourselves all year, the relational titles by which God is revealed in Scripture also reveal things about us.
"Fortress," of course, is not a conventional relational title in the same way as "father" or "king" is. But, still, it reveals something about us when we call God "my Fortress." It suggests that we are embattled. It reveals that we are under attack.
In your prayer time now, talk to the Lord about the times in the past when you have been embattled or under attack. Recall with Him what your relationship with Him was at those times.
Then talk to Him about the ways in which you may be embattled or under attack now. Talk to Him about what it means to you today for Him to be your Fortress.
"Fortress," of course, is not a conventional relational title in the same way as "father" or "king" is. But, still, it reveals something about us when we call God "my Fortress." It suggests that we are embattled. It reveals that we are under attack.
In your prayer time now, talk to the Lord about the times in the past when you have been embattled or under attack. Recall with Him what your relationship with Him was at those times.
Then talk to Him about the ways in which you may be embattled or under attack now. Talk to Him about what it means to you today for Him to be your Fortress.
September 12
We have affirmed many times that, in a relationship, we come to count on certain things from the other person in that relationship. And the better that person is as a parent, a friend, a spouse, or some such, the more likely we are to count on him or her for more.
So, too, with God.
Having considered the attributes of a good fortress as opposed to a poor one, what would you say you could expect or count on from a good fortress?
Now talk to the Lord about those expectations. What do they tell you about Him? What do they tell you about your relationship with Him?
So, too, with God.
Having considered the attributes of a good fortress as opposed to a poor one, what would you say you could expect or count on from a good fortress?
Now talk to the Lord about those expectations. What do they tell you about Him? What do they tell you about your relationship with Him?
September 13
Along the way, the Psalmist says to the Lord, "Be Thou to me a rock of habitation, to which I may continually come; Thou hast given commandment to save me, For Thou art my rock and my fortress." (Psalm 71:3 NASB)
It is the nature of Hebrew poetry to "rhyme ideas" -- that is, to echo ideas and images with parallel ideas and images. We may, therefore, understand "rock of habitation" as a layer of insight into the image of "fortress."
Talk to the Lord about the Psalmist's helpful insight. What does "rock" imply? What does "habitation" suggest?
Explore with Him your need for a "rock of habitation." Tell Him how the thought of the Lord as your "rock of habitation" makes you feel.
Talk to Him about the prospect of "to which I may continually come." Thank Him for your experience of that.
It is the nature of Hebrew poetry to "rhyme ideas" -- that is, to echo ideas and images with parallel ideas and images. We may, therefore, understand "rock of habitation" as a layer of insight into the image of "fortress."
Talk to the Lord about the Psalmist's helpful insight. What does "rock" imply? What does "habitation" suggest?
Explore with Him your need for a "rock of habitation." Tell Him how the thought of the Lord as your "rock of habitation" makes you feel.
Talk to Him about the prospect of "to which I may continually come." Thank Him for your experience of that.
September 14
The Psalmist said to the Lord, "My lovingkindness and my fortress, My stronghold and my deliverer; My shield and He in whom I take refuge." (Psalm 144:2 NASB)
In terms of imagery, "fortress," "stronghold," "deliverer," "shield," and "refuge" are all of a kind. The word that seems foreign -- not contrary, but not synonymous -- is "lovingkindness."
Talk with the Lord about the Psalmist's pairing of "my lovingkindess" with "my fortress."
What does "lovingkindess" reveal about You as my Fortress?
What does "fortress" reveal about Your lovingkindness?
What does it mean for my relationship with You that You are both "lovingkindness" and "fortress" to me?
In terms of imagery, "fortress," "stronghold," "deliverer," "shield," and "refuge" are all of a kind. The word that seems foreign -- not contrary, but not synonymous -- is "lovingkindness."
Talk with the Lord about the Psalmist's pairing of "my lovingkindess" with "my fortress."
What does "lovingkindess" reveal about You as my Fortress?
What does "fortress" reveal about Your lovingkindness?
What does it mean for my relationship with You that You are both "lovingkindness" and "fortress" to me?
September 15
As we conclude Week 37, we focus our attention on familiar words from Martin Luther's most famous hymn (in translation):
"A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing:
Our helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work his woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal."
Think carefully through Luther's phrases and images.
Rewrite each phrase, not to rhyme, but simply to express it in your own words.
Tell the Lord what phrases you have found to be true in your own life and experience.
Tell the Lord what you have learned about Him as "fortress" this week.
Sing to the Lord this affirmation about who and what He is.
"A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing:
Our helper He, amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work his woe;
His craft and power are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal."
Think carefully through Luther's phrases and images.
Rewrite each phrase, not to rhyme, but simply to express it in your own words.
Tell the Lord what phrases you have found to be true in your own life and experience.
Tell the Lord what you have learned about Him as "fortress" this week.
Sing to the Lord this affirmation about who and what He is.