The will of God will never take you to where the grace of God will not protect you..
Daniel 9: 18
18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
I heard news of an impending hurricane, to top off 4 straight days of rain which has left thousands flooded. We do not have a generator. And if the power goes out, our sump pump stops and the basement which is full of drums, exercise equipt ,. my clothing and much much more, would flood and ruin everything.
My first inclination was to panic. Then I realized, I am powerless to do much to prepare....I cannot manage the 12 steps down in to our basement and do not have the stamina to move things to higher ground. So I am powerless. Except that I have the ear of the only One who can mitigate this disaster. I began to pray and the Lord led me to these two verses that you see above. And the quote listed first was something a friend posted on Facebook which really struck me.
It has also occurred to me that, as Daniel did, I can intercede for my neighborhood and city, confessing the sins of the community and bearing them, as though they were all mine, before the Lord of Hosts and pleading for his mercy. I can appeal to the Compassion of the Lord, who is longsuffering, patient (to a point) and completely loving to hear my prayers on behalf of "my people."
We, as a people, have sinned most grievously and deserve to have God's hand heavy on us....but his heart is kind and forgiving....he longs to respond to our prayers...if we would only pray !
This week I've been reading Daniel and in the "story" of the lions' den, it struck me that Daniel, when he heard of the king's edict that forbade anyone to pray to any god other than to the king himself and promised a stint in the lions' den should they disobey... went to his house, to the upper room and prayed at his window AS WAS HIS CUSTOM three times daily.
Daniel did not wait for a disaster...he prayed regularly three times a day. I'm sure Daniel, being one of three leaders under the king, was very busy. But he made time for prayer. ... And I do believe that the miracle God wrought for him in the lions' den, was in response to his holy habit of prayer.
I confess, my prayers have a bit unfocused lately. Mostly arising from some need. But as Philippians states above, we cannot neglect faith and calmness of heart and also thanksgiving in our prayers. I intend now to refocus my habit of prayer and to be faithful on good days as well as bad ones.
And yes, I am praying that this hurricane weakens or turns away. And I will not allow my heart to worry about what I'm powerless to avoid. I will keep a heart of trust in the loving provision of God.
Daniel 9: 18
18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion.
I heard news of an impending hurricane, to top off 4 straight days of rain which has left thousands flooded. We do not have a generator. And if the power goes out, our sump pump stops and the basement which is full of drums, exercise equipt ,. my clothing and much much more, would flood and ruin everything.
My first inclination was to panic. Then I realized, I am powerless to do much to prepare....I cannot manage the 12 steps down in to our basement and do not have the stamina to move things to higher ground. So I am powerless. Except that I have the ear of the only One who can mitigate this disaster. I began to pray and the Lord led me to these two verses that you see above. And the quote listed first was something a friend posted on Facebook which really struck me.
It has also occurred to me that, as Daniel did, I can intercede for my neighborhood and city, confessing the sins of the community and bearing them, as though they were all mine, before the Lord of Hosts and pleading for his mercy. I can appeal to the Compassion of the Lord, who is longsuffering, patient (to a point) and completely loving to hear my prayers on behalf of "my people."
We, as a people, have sinned most grievously and deserve to have God's hand heavy on us....but his heart is kind and forgiving....he longs to respond to our prayers...if we would only pray !
This week I've been reading Daniel and in the "story" of the lions' den, it struck me that Daniel, when he heard of the king's edict that forbade anyone to pray to any god other than to the king himself and promised a stint in the lions' den should they disobey... went to his house, to the upper room and prayed at his window AS WAS HIS CUSTOM three times daily.
Daniel did not wait for a disaster...he prayed regularly three times a day. I'm sure Daniel, being one of three leaders under the king, was very busy. But he made time for prayer. ... And I do believe that the miracle God wrought for him in the lions' den, was in response to his holy habit of prayer.
I confess, my prayers have a bit unfocused lately. Mostly arising from some need. But as Philippians states above, we cannot neglect faith and calmness of heart and also thanksgiving in our prayers. I intend now to refocus my habit of prayer and to be faithful on good days as well as bad ones.
And yes, I am praying that this hurricane weakens or turns away. And I will not allow my heart to worry about what I'm powerless to avoid. I will keep a heart of trust in the loving provision of God.
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