Welcome to Week 44 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.
October 28
"Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15 NASB)
In your prayer time today, consider again this challenge from Joshua to the ancient people of Israel. Talk with the Lord about these matters:
In your prayer time today, consider again this challenge from Joshua to the ancient people of Israel. Talk with the Lord about these matters:
- What does it mean for me to "choose" whom I serve?
- To what extent is this a choice that I make "this day" as a once-and-for-all choice?
- To what extent is this a choice that I am meant to make "this day" and every day?
October 29
At the burning bush, the Lord introduced Himself to Moses, saying, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (Exodus 3:6 NASB)
Later in that episode, the Lord reveals His name to Moses. Interestingly, however, before He introduces Himself by His own name, the Lord introduces Himself to Moses by others' names. Specifically, by the names of other people.
Moses' experience may resonate with our own. In all likelihood, before we knew the Lord personally, we knew Him as someone else's God first. Perhaps He was "the God of mother and father." Perhaps He was known to us first as the God of a certain grandparent, an important Sunday School teacher, or a college roommate.
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about your version of Moses' experience. As He was making Himself known to you, He was not first "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," but the God of whom? Make a list of those names. Thank Him for those people. And reflect with Him on the times and ways that He became known to you.
Later in that episode, the Lord reveals His name to Moses. Interestingly, however, before He introduces Himself by His own name, the Lord introduces Himself to Moses by others' names. Specifically, by the names of other people.
Moses' experience may resonate with our own. In all likelihood, before we knew the Lord personally, we knew Him as someone else's God first. Perhaps He was "the God of mother and father." Perhaps He was known to us first as the God of a certain grandparent, an important Sunday School teacher, or a college roommate.
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about your version of Moses' experience. As He was making Himself known to you, He was not first "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," but the God of whom? Make a list of those names. Thank Him for those people. And reflect with Him on the times and ways that He became known to you.
October 30
In a difficult time and place, the Psalmist cried out to the Lord, saying, "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1 NIV)
As we have noted, "god" was not a title exclusively reserved for the Lord. Furthermore, even those who worshipped the Lord struggled with "other gods." And so there is significance in the Psalmist saying, "You are my God."
In your prayer time, thoughtfully speak these two affirmation to the Lord, and then talk with Him at length about each:
1) You are God.
2) You are my God.
As we have noted, "god" was not a title exclusively reserved for the Lord. Furthermore, even those who worshipped the Lord struggled with "other gods." And so there is significance in the Psalmist saying, "You are my God."
In your prayer time, thoughtfully speak these two affirmation to the Lord, and then talk with Him at length about each:
1) You are God.
2) You are my God.
October 31
The Apostles' Creed, which Christians around the world have been reciting for centuries, begins this way: "I believe in God the Father Almighty."
As we have observed, "god" is not necessarily specific. Simply to say, "I believe in God," therefore, is insufficient. We must say which God. We must say who He is and what He is like. And in the Creed, we specify which God by calling Him "the Father Almighty."
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about this affirmation of faith.
Praise and thank Him for who and what He is.
As we have observed, "god" is not necessarily specific. Simply to say, "I believe in God," therefore, is insufficient. We must say which God. We must say who He is and what He is like. And in the Creed, we specify which God by calling Him "the Father Almighty."
In your prayer time, talk with the Lord about this affirmation of faith.
- What is the significance that the first thing we say about You is that You are the Father?
- What is the significance that the second thing we say about You is that You are Almighty?
Praise and thank Him for who and what He is.
November 1
The ancient Psalmist was surrounded by other nations who worshipped other gods. Along the way, reflecting on his situation, he wrote: "Why should the nations say, 'Where, now, is their God?' But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of man's hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; they have eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but they cannot hear; they have noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but they cannot feel; they have feet, but they cannot walk; they cannot make a sound with their throat." (Psalm 115:2-7 NASB)
Reflect on the Psalmist's testimony, and in your prayer time, talk through it with the Lord:
In what ways are people today still asking, "Where is their God?"
In what ways do people today worship non-gods?
How are today's alternatives to You similar to the ones that the Psalmist mocked?
What is the significance of the Psalmist's affirmation that You are in the heavens?
What is the significance of the Psalmist's declaration that You do whatever You please?
Reflect on the Psalmist's testimony, and in your prayer time, talk through it with the Lord:
In what ways are people today still asking, "Where is their God?"
In what ways do people today worship non-gods?
How are today's alternatives to You similar to the ones that the Psalmist mocked?
What is the significance of the Psalmist's affirmation that You are in the heavens?
What is the significance of the Psalmist's declaration that You do whatever You please?
November 2
Let this affirmation of faith and expression of praise from the Book of Psalms become yours today:
"The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 113:4-9 NAS)
The Psalmist asks, "Who is like the Lord our God...?" and then describes how incomparable He is in two different directions. On the one hand, there are the ways that He is exalted. Let that be the focus of your prayer time today.
Meditate on how the Lord our God is exalted:
How else would you describe how God is exalted? How else might you express that truth?
Praise Him with the praise that is due Him.
"The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 113:4-9 NAS)
The Psalmist asks, "Who is like the Lord our God...?" and then describes how incomparable He is in two different directions. On the one hand, there are the ways that He is exalted. Let that be the focus of your prayer time today.
Meditate on how the Lord our God is exalted:
- He is "high above all nations"
- "His glory is above the heavens"
- He "is enthroned on high."
How else would you describe how God is exalted? How else might you express that truth?
Praise Him with the praise that is due Him.
November 3
Once again, we make this affirmation of faith and expression of praise from the Book of Psalms ours today:
"The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 113:4-9 NAS)
The Psalmist asks, "Who is like the Lord our God...?" and then describes how incomparable He is in two different directions. We focused yesterday on the ways that He is exalted. Today, we turn our attention to the ways that He stoops down.
Let that be the focus of your prayer time today:
Let this affirmation of faith and expression of praise from the Book of Psalms become yours today:
What else would you add to the Psalmist's list? How else would you describe how God has or does stoop down?
Thank Him and praise Him for how our highly exalted God has met us and helped us where we are.
"The LORD is high above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 113:4-9 NAS)
The Psalmist asks, "Who is like the Lord our God...?" and then describes how incomparable He is in two different directions. We focused yesterday on the ways that He is exalted. Today, we turn our attention to the ways that He stoops down.
Let that be the focus of your prayer time today:
Let this affirmation of faith and expression of praise from the Book of Psalms become yours today:
- He "humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth"
- "He raises the poor from the dust"
- He "lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people"
- "He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children."
What else would you add to the Psalmist's list? How else would you describe how God has or does stoop down?
Thank Him and praise Him for how our highly exalted God has met us and helped us where we are.