Place of Prayer Protection

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Place of Prayer Protection

People who need people are the luckiest people in the world. No man is an island, and all that. Each person has a connection with each other person. Connection, attachment, kinship, relationship. We do need each other. But, that isn’t all.

I know I need a relationship with my God. If I am separated from God, I am in bad straits. Cut off from God and cut off from other people? Not a very good situation, at all.

How our enemy loves to cut us off from each other, and separate each one from God. How dare they? I’ll tell you: through natural happenings, through human error, through emotional or psychological or physical attachment gone awry. And sometimes, through something as straightforward as loneliness, or grief, or anger, or boredom, or fear.

What can you and I do about this? The answer in part is: prayer. Prayer stands as a protection and strength.

Dear Lord, gracious God, thank You for Your presence. I appreciate You acting as a refuge and strength. God, You are my rock and fortress, sure to be there for me and with me. I know the Lord is there when I go through the thick of things. Just like King David said, even though each of us is walking down the solitary path through the valley of shadow. No matter! We are still on God’s side. And, God will keep each one under the shadow of heavenly wings. Thank God.

@chaplaineliza

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Sixth Sunday in Lent – Be Gracious to Me, Lord! Please!

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Sunday, March 29, 2015

Sixth Sunday in Lent – Be Gracious to Me, Lord! Please!

Reading the Psalm for today, Psalm 56, I found myself plunged into that dark, scary emotional hole. Yet another time. This time, I wasn’t there to stay for a while. I recognized that pit, and I hesitated before I dove in. Yay, me!

Ever have the experience of enemies rising up against you? Fighting against you? King David sure did! Yet, he was able to go to the Lord and take refuge in Him.

I can remember several times when my negative momentum got the best of me, and carried me down into depression. I am glad I didn’t have such serious enemies threatening me, like David did! I praise God that I can count on Him, whenever I need to. As David said, if God is for me, what can mere mortals do to me?

I am grateful to my friends, spiritual leaders and pastors, and especially God. Some combination of them all help keep me centered and spiritually healthy. Thank You, God!

@chaplaineliza

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(Check out #40acts; doing Lent generously at www.40acts.org.uk )

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And read #40acts sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er .

How Majestic is God’s Name—in Prayer

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – February 4, 2015

How Majestic is God’s Name—in Prayer

For those who are wondering, Bella has come through a lengthy surgery with success. The doctors were able to remove all of the brain tumor. Praise God!

I can pray for Bella, as well as for her parents and all those who love her and care for her. Please, continue to pray. I know they would appreciate any earnest prayers, good thoughts, and heartfelt wishes of encouragement.

How all of our lives can be interrupted! They might be interrupted, like Bella’s, with a surgery. Or hospital stay. A continuing illness, or perhaps something internal. Like an emotional, behavioral or psychological diagnosis.

I checked out the second prayer reading this evening and I found it was Psalm 8. Several verses struck me as I read them. Especially in light of Bella and the brain tumor that has been removed today. “O Lord, our Lord. How majestic is Your name in all the earth.”

Yet, I know that some people did NOT call upon God as Holy. Or majestic. Or powerful, mighty, or anything of the sort. I know I could be asking God WHY. Why Bella, and not another child? What does God think to have King David write all about the wonders of the heavens, and still the have children and babies contract horrible diseases? Like Bella?

But—not now. I want to rest in the fact that God is sovereign. Glad that the Lord is not only mighty and powerful, but a great Creator as well. Very glad that David declared that the praise of infants and children are to be encouraged, so that God’s name might be praised throughout all of God’s creation.

And—I also won’t ask WHY, God? I won’t ask those questions of theodicy that come to my mind, periodically. Like, now. (Why? Oh, why, God?)

I can praise God’s name, in the meanwhile, using the glorious words of Psalm 8—and thank You, God, for Bella’s successful surgery. Thank You.

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blog, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.