There is a saying, be the change you want to see. When we don’t know what to do, it is always good to pray. Prayer and meditation have the power to change the world. We believe that if we let Him, God will hallow – meaning “make holy” – our lives.
Lord, May I stand in solidarity today with all my brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering. May we be united in your love, and may I work to build your kingdom here on earth. Amen
Let’s offer this prayer of praise to the Lord, beckoning all of creation to give Him the praise due His name:
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels;
praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon,
praise Him, all you shining stars!
Praise Him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord!
For He commanded and they were created.
And He established them forever and ever;
He gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling His word!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for His name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for His people,
praise for all His saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to Him.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 148)
Father, I thank You today for the gift of praise. Thank you for revealing Yourself to me through Your Word, by Your Spirit, and in Your creation, that I might stand in awe of You. Amen
God chose me to bear the burden of myself and it is a wonderful thing when I face this truth. We are miserable when we evade the truth about ourselves because this is not our true state. As a child of God, we are redeemed, we are loved and we are called to eternal life with God. It is crazy the lengths we will go to divest ourselves of this to cultivate the darkness. As we turn to God and focus our energy there, the mission impossible becomes possible.
Praise God that with Him, nothing is impossible (Mark 10:27). “Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You” (Jeremiah 32:17).
Amen
Do you use your energy in wanting God to explain why things are the way they are? Sometimes I think God is thinking why don’t you understand and stop asking questions, don’t you realize my grace is sufficient for you? Ever faithful is our God, despite our unfaithfulness.
Let’s praise God, whose might is like no other, and whose faithfulness surrounds Him.
Praise Him that righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne, and that steadfast love and faithfulness go before Him. Psalm 89:8-14
Amen
Ever faithful is our God, despite our unfaithfulness.
Let’s praise God, whose might is like no other, and whose faithfulness surrounds Him. Praise Him that righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne, and that steadfast love and faithfulness go before Him. Psalm 89:8-14
How are you seeing the face of a loving and just God during your lenten journey? I know I’m living in moment’s of grace where I am rising up from the death-like quality of my persistent faults and I’m praising God for His graciousness.
Let us pray:
A God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty.
Exodus 34:6-7
In the wilderness of lent, are you mumbling and grumbling losing your focus? Or do you continue to orient your heart in praise of God? Lent shows us God’s mercy and love for us, despite our worthiness, despite our weakness, despite what we truly deserve.
Praise the Lord, who is like no other, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression.
Praise Him for His mercy – He does not retain his anger forever, because He delights in steadfast love.
Praise Him for His compassion and for His forgiveness.
Let us pray.
He will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
As a recovering perfectionist, my view of what is perfect has changed a lot as God’s grace has enlightened me. Rather than striving for perfection, I give glory to the one who is perfection himself. This right praise constantly shows me I’m loved despite my imperfections and allows me to rest in “Whose” I am.
Let us pray.
Praise the God whose way is perfect. Praise Him that His Word proves true and that He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. Psalm 18:30
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
We are all familiar with temptation, that desire from within that invites us to act, contrary to what we know to be right. We are called to seek God‘s guidance and strength to persevere against temptation, for God does not tempt us. Rather, he offers us the ability to resist the temptation to grow in holiness. We are called to be pure of heart, and when we walk with God at our side, we are more easily able to achieve that goal. We are delivered. What are the things that tempt you? Ask for God’s help to identify and persevere against them.
God of all understanding, you are our source of strength and perseverance, in the midst of trials and Temptations. You lead us not in temptation, but deliver us from evil. Protect us oh, Lord, from fear and doubt, from sadness, and a spare, from isolation and loneliness, from trials, and temptations, from persecution, weariness us, the tendency to give up, apathy, pain and hardship, sickness and death. Help us recognize you are by our side, offering compassion and assistance, so that we may overcome the wearisome burdens. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen
Little by little, we can make our daily life more and more prayerful. Over time, we can incorporate those suggestions that work with our schedule and that we are ready for spiritually.
There is a particular spiritual practice that Francis de Sales highly recommends that is possible for all of us: even on those ‘impossible’ days when we are perhaps unable to undertake our normal spiritual practices, we can stay rooted in prayer by constantly addressing brief prayers to the Lord. These can be acts of love, of adoration, of faith, of hope, of petition, or simply saying the name of Jesus—throughout the course of the day.
God, I seek you and my soul thirsts for you as if I’m in the desert. I have seen you, Holy One, in your power and glory. Your steadfast love is better than life itself and I praise you, with my body, mind, and soul. I will bless you as long as I have breath within me. I lift my heart up to you and call You Holy. Amen
Smitten With Goodness 