A Heritage of Prayer

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. Luke 18:1 ESV

Some of you have noticed that I love to write devotionals. The truth is I also love to read devotional collections. Oswald Chambers, Joni Eareckson Tada, Charles Swindoll and Rick Warren have become friends whose example and teachings have encouraged me through some of the darkest times of my life. About a month ago, my wife, knowing my love of devotional writing brought me home a Beverly Lewis book titled, “Amish Prayers.” In it the author has compiled a selection of prayers translated from a German prayer book dating back to 1708. What a special blessing this little book has become to me!

The book, “Amish Prayers” in many ways reminded me of the book of Psalms. Then as I looked closely, I discovered that the Psalms are as much a book of prayers as an ancient Hebrew collection of hymns. That inspired me to begin looking through the Bible for other prayers and I discovered them everywhere! In fact, the Bible could just as well be called, God’s Prayer Book, because at the heart of the stories of the men and women of scripture is the heritage of their prayers. Some of those prayers are questions, some complaints, some cries for mercy and others simply times of praise. If you will join me, over the next week we are going to listen in to a few of those prayers and then bow our heads and pray along with them!

Our Mansion of Rest

As we just spent eight days with a home filled with grandchildren, our son and daughter-in-law, I am a week behind in my daily readings. Though our family is well, and we are blessed beyond measure, the events in Ukraine have left my heart heavy. The reading in Charles Spurgeons Morning by Morning reminded me that we can always have hope because though we have no true place of permanent peace anywhere on earth the presence of God will be our home forever.

“The Christian might be rich today and poor tomorrow. He could be sick today and well tomorrow. He might be happy today and in distress tomorrow. However, there is no change with regard to his relationship to God. If God loved me yesterday, He loves me today. My unmoving mansion of rest is my blessed Lord.”

Spurgeon, Charles Haddon. Morning by Morning: Daily Devotional Readings (p. 59). Aneko Press. Kindle Edition.

11th Gift of Christmas – His Star

 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy Matthew 2:10

Recently the news has been filled with stories of the 2020 “Christmas Star”; which is the almost perfect conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn happening for the first time in 400 years. We have no idea if this was what God used to guide the wise men but we do know that the star they saw led them to Bethlehem. Their journey was long; in danger of thieves attacking their small camel train and complicated by uncertainty after they stopped in for visit with King Herod. Big city lights can obscure our view of the stars and maybe that is what happened while they were in Jerusalem. It seems they lost sight of it there for a while, but the good news is that after they left the king, the Bible tells us that:

They went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Matthew 2:9

Maybe they paused just over the horizon from Bethlehem, and gave thanks for God’s guidance all through their long journey. As our own journey to Christmas draws near its end we also need to take time to remember how on our darkest nights God sent His star for us as well. He sent His star to help us know the Savior was born. He sent His star to guide our path to Him. He sent His star to light our way. He sent His star to come and stand over the place where Jesus is so we can present our gifts to Him and worship. Thank God for this amazing gift that leads us to Jesus Christ. Thank God for His bright and morning star!

Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com