Category: prayer

Knowing God

OLD TESTAMENT: Nehemiah 6-7

POETRY: Psalm 147

NEW TESTAMENT: John 19:28-37

What is one thing that you just adore, something that, when people see it, they think of you? For me, it’s manatees or anything cheery yellow (preferably not a yellow manatee!); when my kids draw a picture for me, their masterpieces regularly feature one or both of those things. When I see libraries, LEGO, monkey bars, and giraffes, I automatically think of my four children, respectively. And I can almost always predict what my husband will choose from a menu before I even hear his order: the most diverse combination of tastes ever imagined in one entree, or anything pumpkin – preferably together. 

My family is my tribe. We know each other so well that, when given choices to make for one another, we often don’t even need to ask the other which they would choose. 

Nehemiah knew God well. He was in such deep communion with God all day long for much of his life that sometimes he didn’t even need to take time to think about how to respond in tricky situations. Prayers are woven into the narrative of his book, nonchalantly immersed within the historical account; Nehemiah’s heart was so aligned with the heart of God that the next step was clear and he was able to answer quickly and confidently.

Sanballat and Tobiah, who had been conspiring to sabotage the wall-erecting project all along, attempted a new approach – requesting a “friendly” meeting in another town. Four times they invited Nehemiah to join them, and four times, suspecting a sinister scheme, Nehemiah replied, “I am doing a good work and I cannot come down!” (6:3) When that attempt failed, they made false accusations against him, threatening his reputation and leadership. Nehemiah prayed that God would strengthen his hands (verse 9). Then the antagonists hired a prophet – a spiritual leader – to give contrary advice to Nehemiah, but guess what? Nehemiah was so in tune with the One True God that he didn’t even need to pray about it or stew in confusion about this prophet’s words; he was so confident in God’s laws and the work God had called him to do that he already knew what God’s response would be. This potentially confusing situation did not derail him; he saw right through the deception and kept focused on God’s instruction. 

I want to be so in tune with God on a regular basis that I can confidently make the right choice when trials and confusion come my way! 

Here are correlations between our other passages and Nehemiah: 

Psalm 147:2  “The Lord loves the righteous, and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.” The plans of the wicked were definitely frustrated in today’s Nehemiah story! 

In the John reading today, Jesus died and was buried – a very sad day for his followers. But we now know that was the beginning of something much more wonderful: the fulfilling of a promise, the forgiving of sins, the saving of humanity! Likewise, the residents of Jerusalem who have experienced the death of their faith, dreams, and security, will be experiencing renewed joy, faith, and wonder with the rebuilding of their city.

-Rachel Cain

Reflection: 

  • How well do you know God? Do you know HIM, or know ABOUT Him? What steps can you take to know him better today? 
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The Solemn Joy of Christmas

OLD TESTAMENT: Daniel 9

POETRY: Psalm 138

NEW TESTAMENT: John 11:1-37

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. 

It’s my absolute favorite time. I love the snow falling from gray skies. The world turned crystalline with ice. Warm homes with twinkling lights and fireplaces burning, keeping the dark days bright. 

But notice, all the things I am speaking of are the current time of the year. I could be speaking of “the holidays,” a societal collection of days starting usually on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and going to about January 1st. I’m not speaking of those days. Thanksgiving is a great reminder to give thanks to God, New Year’s is nice to think about the way we want to live differently and better in the year ahead. But the only holiday in “the holidays” that matters is Christmas, its twelve days beginning on December 25 and going on until January 6th! Before this time of Christmastide, we can celebrate Advent (meaning “coming”) about the coming of Jesus. Advent starts four Sundays before Christmas, meaning the first advent Sunday was yesterday. 

Though the weeks of Advent are based around familiar themes (hope, peace, joy, love), Advent should also be a time of solemnity. Why? It’s more fun to focus on the love of God and the peace toward men of good will, hope and joy given to those who see the babe in the straw. 

Why is the babe in the straw? “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” In Advent, similar to Lent (the days before Easter), though not as intense, the Christian world is encouraged to remember our sins and to confess them to God. Daniel, in Daniel 9, embodies this for us well. 

Daniel prays to God, but he does so with all the parts of his body. He covers himself with ashes, a symbol of mourning, and itchy sackcloth, and to show his total dependence upon God, he fasts, refraining from food. He claims responsibility for his own sin and for the sin of his people. “We have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled.” (9:5) He recognizes that God is righteous (9:7), merciful and forgiving (9:9), but for the people of God he knows that they are shameful in their disobedience. He recognizes that he and all God’s people transgressed and disobeyed the law, the voice of God. 

When was the last time you laid out your sin before the Lord and repented of it? Maybe you do this every day, and recognize those things in you that need to change and course correct at the end of each day. That’s awesome. But maybe it’s been longer than a day, and during this time of Advent, when we consider that Christ had to come to save us from our sins, you can say “God, I’m sorry for the mistakes I’ve made.” If you have never given your life to Christ, that is necessary for forgiveness and hope. We trust that God is merciful, as Daniel says in Daniel 9:18 “For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.”

And because he is, forgiveness is quick to be given, and hope is not scorned, because we are not calling on a vindictive God but on a loving Father. Gabriel tells Daniel “as soon as you began to pray, a word was sent out.” Daniel gets a visionary message in answer to his prayer… but notice his prayer will be answered! We know now that it was answered. When we come to God and confess, he is faithful and just to forgive us of all sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.  (1 John 1:9)

So today, take the time in this Advent season to confess your sins, to course correct because you want to please the God who saves you and wants to bless you. But do so because of what Advent will receive, and what the season is Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. 

Merry Christmas, and God bless us, every one. 

-Jake Ballard

Reflection Questions

  1. What makes the Advent season so special? How can you celebrate it in a way that brings honor to God and to the gift of His Son Jesus Christ?
  2. What role does confession play in your relationship with God? What do you notice in Daniel’s prayer? What does he acknowledge? What are his requests? When was your last prayer of confession?
  3. What will you pray today?
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Children’s Church and the Lions’ Den

OLD TESTAMENT: Daniel 6

POETRY: Psalm 136

NEW TESTAMENT: John 9

I am not going to try and convince you that working in the nursery is comparable to being thrown into a den of vicious, destructive predators. Children’s church is much, much worse than that. 

Today, I want to talk about the “mis-picturing” that can happen if we have grown up in the church. Quick: what image do you see when you think about Noah’s flood? For me, it was, for most of my childhood, an impossibly small ark floating on top of bright blue waters with impossibly large creatures sticking their heads out of the top of the ark with a rainbow above. Now: what is actually said about the flood and Noah? All life, besides those who got brought aboard the ark, were judged in rain from the sky and flood from the ground. It is darkness, judgement, sin, and death. When we teach this story to our youngest kids in nursery, there is a reason that we leave out these obviously darker parts of the story. 

In our reading today, we have another story that gets mispictured: Daniel, a young lad, is thrown into a den of lions because he believes in God, but the lions are more like kitty cats, and then he gets pulled out the next day and everyone forgives everyone and we move on. 

But, the story in scripture is much more important: Daniel, an old man who has been faithful, knows about a command from the King to stop praying, and in direct violation of this imperial edict with life and death hanging in the balance, he prays just the same, trusting in the God who got him this far to protect him from the lions, but even he doesn’t… Yet the lions, the ravenous king of beasts, the symbol of power of rulership, are shut up by the God who is above all. And when Daniel is rescued those who set him up are themselves thrown into the den and torn to shreds before they reach the ground. 

Notice, faith is not a practice that finds fulfillment because of a “great event” that happens once in youth, but is the choice of decades, of the daily decision to follow God in the most boring business of daily life. It is only in following in the mundane, that we are prepared to follow in the momentous, it is by praying daily in our normal life that we are ready to pray daily when the King says “stop or you die.” Daniel, knowing the King will be bound to kill him, fearlessly bucks the system of power, knowing God is bigger. But even if there is no rescue, Daniel trusts in the God of his fathers. Instead of the lions devouring Daniel, judgement is given to those who thought they would harm God’s man.

But why say more important? Shouldn’t we teach kids at age appropriate levels? Of course we should; the problem happens when we think we know, or, when I think I know the Bible and I don’t take seriously the call of this passage or others on our life. The story of the flood of Noah is about the seriousness of sin and about the totality of the judgment of God; if we think it’s about cute animals, rainbows, and God’s love, we miss the depth of the story. The story of Daniel and the Den of Lions is about the developed faith of a man who had been faithful and successful because of his trust in God and who would allow nothing, not even the threat of death, to come between him and his worship. It’s about overcoming the Imperial powers of this world not by swords and warfare but by turning our face to God and trusting in him. 

Starting today, I would encourage you to focus on picturing correctly the stories you read in scripture. God inspired them in the way he did so that we would learn from his actual words, rather than the interpretation of his words from our pastor, our teacher, or even our parents. Some people have given us better or worse interpretations, but nothing compares to reading God’s words ourselves, and understanding how God is speaking through the Bible to us today. 

-Jake Ballard

Questions:

  1. Is mis-picturing a problem for you? If you grew up in church, how much did your Sunday School help or hinder you from seeing the Bible as it really is? If you are new to faith or don’t yet believe, do you have any preconceived pictures of the Bible stories, or are they all fresh to you?
  2. Are there other stories that you can think of when mis-picturing might lead us to miss the important points of the story? 
  3. “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” If you read the opening chapters of Matthew and Luke, try and see if there are any mis-picturing in our understanding of Jesus at his nativity. Is Mary a scared unwed mother? Is Joseph a clueless, hapless husband? Is Jesus surrounded by wisemen and shepherds and camels and sheep and laying in the straw without making a sound? Think about the reality of stories, rather than our built up theological and social pictures around Jesus. 
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Jerusalem

OLD TESTAMENT: Ezekiel 18-20

POETRY: Psalm 122

NEW TESTAMENT: John 1:1-18

On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a sneak attack on Israel.  Nearly 1200 Israelis were killed.  251 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive and held hostage by Hamas.

This was not the first time Israel had been the victim of an attack and taken captive by enemies.  They were enslaved by the Egyptians thousands of years ago.  They were taken into exile by the Babylonians nearly 3000 years ago.  They were attacked and occupied by the Romans and their Temple was destroyed and they went into the diaspora almost 2000 years ago.  They were victims of the Holocaust nearly 100 years ago when nearly 6 million Jews were murdered in gas chambers.

Psalm 122 was one of many Psalms that were prayed by the Jewish people during many of these numerous times of attack and war.   

Psalm 122. A song of ascents. Of David.

1 

I rejoiced with those who said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

2 

Our feet are standing
    in your gates, Jerusalem.

3 

Jerusalem is built like a city
    that is closely compacted together.

4 

That is where the tribes go up—
    the tribes of the Lord—
to praise the name of the Lord
    according to the statute given to Israel.

5 

There stand the thrones for judgment,
    the thrones of the house of David.

6 

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
    “May those who love you be secure.

7 

May there be peace within your walls
    and security within your citadels.”

8 

For the sake of my family and friends,
    I will say, “Peace be within you.”

9 

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your prosperity.

This Psalm is a prayer for peace in Jerusalem.  It is a prayer that God’s people will live in security and protection.  Today we pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.  True and lasting peace will not come to Jerusalem until the Messiah, God’s anointed King, our savior Jesus Christ returns.  When Jesus returns there will be Peace in Jerusalem and eventually Peace on earth in God’s Kingdom.

Let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  Let us pray for the release of those being held captive.

Pastor Jeff Fletcher

Reflection Questions

  1. Compare and contrast Jerusalem, including it’s history and current situation, to that of the New Jerusalem we recently read about in the final chapters of Revelation. What causes the differences and the similarities?
  2. How often do you pray for the peace of Jerusalem? Would adding a visual reminder to your home or device help you remember?
  3. How might you be able to seek the good and prosperity of Jerusalem?
  4. How often do you pray for the coming of the New Jerusalem and pray for its occupants, that those you know will be ready – recognized as the people of God, wearing white and not left outside?
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Contemplation – Take it to Heart

OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 24-26

POETRY: Psalm 119:17-24

NEW TESTAMENT: Revelation 1

Revelation is a tricky book. I will admit that I struggle with it, as I’m sure others do. When meditating on this passage I actually sat down and tried to put myself in John’s place. He is receiving one intense vision, full of important messages, all of which he might not fully comprehend in his time. 

This devotion is less of a devotion today and more of an invitation to join me in a practice of contemplation. 

John introduces himself and tells the reader what he is writing and why he’s writing it. And the first part of this great message is actually a collection of letters to the seven great churches of the time. 

Now these letters are laid out in chapters 2 and 3. However, I’m not actually going into those so I feel like I’m within my realm of Revelation 1 for this little exercise! 

Join me, if you will, in constructing a letter to yourself and/or your church, written by Christ. This can be either written or mental. This devotion will primarily be reflection questions to give you some things to contemplate. 

Reflection: 

Take a few minutes with each of these questions to pray and evaluate: 

Christ, seated at God’s side, knows your deeds. In looking at your current habits and practices, what does he lift up? What is he pleased with? Pray over these things and ask God to continue to help you to grow. Thank him for allowing you the circumstances that allow you to minister and please him. Thank him for the blessings he has given you. 

What about in your church body? What does your church do well in God’s eyes? Pray over your church family now, thanking God for individuals that serve alongside you in the church body. Thank God for the blessings he has given your church family. 

Now, what practices in your life are not pleasing? What do you struggle to turn away from? How would Christ address those? How would he advise you to take action? Pray over these, and ask for strength and guidance in those areas. Pray for mercy and forgiveness. 

Are there practices within your home church that Christ would not be pleased with? Are there attitudes that need changing? Does your own attitude need adjustment? How would Jesus address your church in this regard? How would he encourage you to correct these behaviors and thoughts? Pray now over your church family. Pray for forgiveness and mercy. Pray that God will show you a way in which you can help be a positive force of change in your church body. 

Dear father, I’m so thankful for my fellow believers in churches all over the world. I pray that we would be pleasing to you. I pray that we are able to seek out what we are doing wrong and right ourselves. Please show us the way and also show us great mercy. Thank you for the sacrifice that was made so that we could one day see Christ’s return and see your kingdom established forever here on a perfect earth. Grant us all guidance and strength until we see that great day. In your son’s name I pray, Amen.    – Jenn Haynes

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You and God

OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 59 & 60

POETRY: Psalm 111

NEW TESTAMENT: James 5:13-20

Isaiah 59:1-2 (LEB):

“Look! The hand of Yahweh is not too short to save,

and his ear is not too dull to hear.

Rather, your iniquities have been barriers

between you and your God,

and your sins have hidden his face from you

so that he does not hear.”

Isaiah 60:1-2 (LEB):

“Arise! Shine! For your light has come,

and the glory of Yahweh has risen on you.

For look! Darkness shall cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples,

but Yahweh will rise on you,

and his glory will appear over you.”

Psalm 111:2-3 (LEB):

“The works of Yahweh are great,

studied by all who delight in them.

Full of splendor and majesty is his work,

and his righteousness endures forever.”

James 5:16 (LEB):

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.”

Isaiah 59 begins with a sobering reminder of the impact of sin on our relationship with God. God’s hand is not too short to save, and His ears are not too dull to hear, but our sins create a barrier between us and Him. Sin distorts our lives, causes separation from God, and prevents us from experiencing the fullness of His presence. The chapter highlights the pervasive effects of sin, not just on individuals but on society as a whole.

However, Isaiah 60 offers a contrasting vision of hope and redemption. Despite the darkness that covers the earth, God’s light shines upon His people, and His glory will rise over them. The imagery of light breaking through darkness reflects the transformative power of God’s salvation. God is not only able to overcome the darkness caused by sin, but He also calls His people to rise and shine, reflecting His glory in the world. This is a message of hope for all who feel weighed down by the consequences of sin—God’s light and glory will bring redemption, healing, and restoration.

Psalm 111 is a hymn of praise that celebrates the greatness of God’s works. The psalmist invites us to reflect on the majesty and splendor of all that God has done, from creation to His acts of salvation. His works are not only grand but are also enduring, showcasing His righteousness and faithfulness throughout history. God’s deeds are meant to be studied and remembered by all who delight in Him.

As we consider the brokenness described in Isaiah 59 and the hope in Isaiah 60, Psalm 111 reminds us of the consistent and righteous character of God. His works reveal His power, wisdom, and love, and His righteousness endures forever. When we are faced with difficulties, confusion, or darkness, this psalm encourages us to look to God’s past works as evidence of His faithfulness and the certainty of His future redemption.

In the final chapter of James, we are invited into a deeper understanding of the power of prayer and confession. James calls on believers to pray in every circumstance—whether in suffering, joy, sickness, or sin. Prayer is not a passive response but an active and powerful tool through which God brings healing, restoration, and strength. The passage emphasizes the effectiveness of the prayers of a righteous person, showing that God hears and acts through the prayers of His people.

Additionally, James highlights the importance of confessing sins to one another. Confession brings healing and breaks down the barriers that sin creates between individuals and God. It fosters community, accountability, and vulnerability, allowing believers to walk in truth and experience freedom together. James reminds us that prayer is not just personal but communal—praying for one another is a vital part of the body of Christ.

This week, let the light of Isaiah 60 inspire you to rise and shine as God’s glory fills your life. Remember the majesty of God’s works in Psalm 111, and walk in the power of prayer and confession from James 5. Embrace the healing and restoration that come from living a life of openness and faith, trusting in the God who hears, forgives, and redeems.

-Jeff Ransom

Reflection Questions:

Are there any barriers of sin in your life that are keeping you from experiencing God’s presence and power? How can you bring those before God in confession?

How can you allow God’s light and glory to shine through you, especially in areas of your life where you feel overwhelmed by darkness?

Reflect on a time when you have seen God’s faithfulness in your life or in the lives of others. How can remembering His works give you hope today?

How can you grow in the practice of praying for others and confessing your sins to one another? What steps can you take to foster deeper community and accountability in your relationships?

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Where God Lives

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 20

Poetry: Psalm 99

New Testament: 1 Timothy 3

Did you go on vacation this summer?  Where did you go?  Perhaps you’re planning a late summer getaway before the arrival of Labor Day.

Whether you travel to a new destination or a familiar cabin on a lake, it is good to get away and take a break from work and school.  Time away can be refreshing and often you gain a new perspective on life.

But, vacations don’t last forever.  All too quickly, it’s time to come home.  The closer you get, the faster you want to arrive.  Finally, your home appears.  Carrying suitcases, backpacks, and bags of “stuff”, you walk through the door.  Big exhale!  You’re home!  Oh, it’s so good to be home.

Hopefully, when you think of your home, you think of comfort, security, safety, enjoyment.  It’s where you can be yourself, where you can relax.

Does God feel that way about His home?  Yes, He is in heaven, and yes, someday He will dwell with man on earth.  (Revelation 21:1-3) But, the Bible mentions another HOME for our Father God.  PRAISE.  God is “at home” in our praises. 

Psalm 22:3 KJV says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.”  The NASB version says simply, “Yet You are holy, O You are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.”

Jack R. Taylor says this in The Hallelujah Factor— “Praise is where God lives.  It is his permanent address.  While God is everywhere, he is not everywhere manifested.  He is at home in praise and, being at home, he manifests himself best as God!  When you or I choose to make God at home through praise, we invite him to act ‘at home.’  He is enthroned and liberated to act mightily in praise.”

One of the best examples of this in Scripture is our OT reading for today, II Chronicles 20. 

The sons of Moab and Ammon came to make war against Jehoshaphat, King of Judah.  Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he proclaimed a fast throughout Judah.  Then all of Judah gathered as Jehoshaphat addressed the Lord.  He recounted God’s power and previous protection.  Then Jehoshaphat stated the current problem, (vs 10-11), the powerlessness of the people, (vs 12a), and their concentration on God—“our eyes are on you.”  (vs. 12b)

The Spirit of God, through Jahaziel, gave God’s answer to Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah.  “Don’t fear, the battle is not yours but God’s.  You need not fight.  Stand and see the salvation of the Lord.”

The next morning, singers went out before the army, singing, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his lovingkindness is everlasting.”  WHEN they began singing and praising, the enemy was ambushed by one another.  No one escaped.  Jehoshaphat and his people found goods and garments among the enemies, and it took them 3 days to retrieve it all. 

The people’s praise prompted God to act.  No other recorded military battle compares to the miracle that happened that day. 

Psalm 8:2 says, “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”

How marvelous is our God.  He hears us.  He fights for us.  He rewards us.

Did you start your morning in praise to God?  What a difference it can make.  God desires to move in your life, to guide you, to comfort you, to defend and protect you. 

Allow Him to reside each day in your praises.  And discover the joy He has planned for your life.

-Paula Kirkpatrick

Reflection Questions

  1. Is praise a regular part of your prayer life?
  2. Meditate on this phrase from II Chronicles 20:12b—“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
  3. When things seem insurmountable in your life, will you begin your appeal to God with praise?
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Rules for Life

Old Testament: 2 Chronicles 19

Poetry: Psalm 98

New Testament: 1 Timothy 2

Have you ever felt like you don’t know what to do in life? You feel like you need a book of instructions to take with you everywhere you go? Well, there may not be any instruction manuals available, but the Bible as our guide is. In 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul lists these sets of rules that we should live by, either through worship, or living through daily life.

In 1 Timothy 2, it states: “8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.”

Paul says that God wants us to live peaceably with all people, making prayer and petitions, and thanksgiving amongst everyone, as it pleases Him. He also mentions that God doesn’t want people to be flashy in their worship to Him. In verse 9 he states that he wants women to dress modestly and adorn themselves with good deeds rather than gold or pearls. When we dress for worship, we should dress with good intentions and be pleasing in God’s sight. Also in worship, we should pray for each other. Our family, our friends, church friends, even the people you dislike the most. The point is, even if you feel that you think you’re not going to have an easy life, just remember that you have an incredible book of life to guide you through the tough times, and that these simple rules are things that we should live by. Praying for people and dressing modestly may seem difficult at times, but with God, anything is possible. 

-Hannah Bormes

Reflection Questions

  1. What rules for life do you find in 1 Timothy 2 that you want to live by better and better?
  2. Can you think of a time of anger and disputing when it would have been better to lift up holy hands in prayer? How can you use this method next time?
  3. Why do you think Paul addressed modesty? Do you think it should be addressed today – if so, how?
  4. Who will you pray for today?
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Tips for Doing God’s Work

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 27-29

Poetry: Psalm 90

New Testament: Colossians 4:2-18

Scripture:
“David assembled all the leaders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes and the commanders of the divisions that served the king and the commanders of the thousands and the commanders of the hundreds and the officials in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, together with the officials and the mighty men, and all the seasoned warriors, at Jerusalem.” — 1 Chronicles 28:1 (LEB)
“So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12 (LEB)
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” — Colossians 4:2 (LEB)


In 1 Chronicles 27, we see David’s meticulous organization of the military and administrative divisions of Israel. This structure ensured that the kingdom functioned smoothly and effectively. David’s leadership shows the importance of planning and preparation in carrying out God’s work.


Chapters 28 and 29 highlight David’s preparations for the construction of the temple. Although David was not permitted to build the temple himself, he gathered materials, made plans, and charged Solomon and the people to carry out the task. David’s forward-thinking mindset underscores the value of preparing for the future and investing in God’s work, even when we may not see the final outcome.


Psalm 90:12 calls us to live with an awareness of the brevity of life: “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” David’s actions in these chapters reflect this wisdom, as he uses his final days to ensure that Israel is prepared for the future and that God’s temple will be built.


Colossians 4:2-18 emphasizes the importance of prayer and watchfulness. Paul encourages the Colossians to be devoted to prayer and to be thankful. This devotion to prayer is essential for effective leadership and preparation, as seen in David’s reliance on God throughout his life.


David’s detailed organization of Israel’s military and administrative divisions highlights the importance of structure and planning in achieving God’s purposes. David’s preparation for the temple, even though he would not build it, teaches us the value of investing in God’s work for future generations.Psalm 90’s call to number our days encourages us to live wisely and make the most of our time, as David did in his final acts. Colossians 4:2 reminds us to be devoted to prayer, a crucial aspect of effective leadership and preparation. 


Like David, we do not always see the results of our work. Our Lord teaches us, though, to number our days and live with wisdom, making the most of our time for His purposes. Serve the Lord with a heart of wisdom and a spirit of prayer, investing in His work for future generations.

-Jeff Ransom

Reflection Questions:

  1. How can you apply the principles of organization and planning in your own life and service to God?
  2. In what ways can you prepare for the future and invest in God’s work, even if you may not see the final outcome?
  3. How can Psalm 90’s call to number our days inspire you to live more wisely and purposefully?
  4. What steps can you take to deepen your devotion to prayer, as encouraged in Colossians 4:2?
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In Times of Spiritual Decline

Old Testament: 2 Kings 21

Poetry: Psalm 86 (last of 4 days)

New Testament: Luke 23


Scripture:
“He did evil in the eyes of Yahweh according to the detestable things of the nations whom Yahweh drove out before the Israelites.” — 2 Kings 21:2 (LEB)
“Listen, Yahweh, to my prayer, and attend to the voice of my supplications.” — Psalm 86:6 (LEB)
“And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots to divide his clothes.” — Luke 23:34 (LEB)


2 Kings 21 describes the reign of Manasseh, who led Judah into idolatry and wickedness, turning away from the faithfulness of his father, Hezekiah. Manasseh’s actions had devastating consequences for Judah, but even in the midst of such darkness, we can find lessons of hope and redemption when we look at the prayers of Psalm 86 and the forgiveness offered by Jesus in Luke 23.


Manasseh’s reign was marked by the restoration of idolatrous practices that his father had abolished. He erected altars to Baal, worshipped the stars, and desecrated the temple by placing an idol within it. His actions not only provoked God’s anger but also led the people of Judah into deep sin and rebellion against God.


Manasseh’s actions demonstrate the destructive power of idolatry and disobedience. When we turn away from God and pursue false gods, it leads to moral and spiritual decay. Psalm 86 is a heartfelt plea for God’s attention and mercy. In times of spiritual decline, prayer becomes a vital connection to God, seeking His guidance and forgiveness. Despite the evil of Manasseh’s reign, the story of Jesus on the cross in Luke 23 reminds us of the power of forgiveness. Jesus’ prayer for those who crucified Him highlights God’s boundless grace and the possibility of redemption even for those who have strayed far from Him.

-Jeff Ransom


Reflection Questions:


Are there any “high places” or idols in your life that you need to remove to fully commit yourself to God?

How can the prayers of Psalm 86 inspire you to seek God more earnestly and sincerely in your daily life?

How does Jesus’ example of forgiveness on the cross in Luke 23 challenge you to extend grace and forgiveness to others?


This week, reflect on the life and reign of Manasseh, and consider how you can remain faithful to God. Seek to remove any idols and influence others toward righteousness. Let the prayers of Psalm 86 inspire your own prayers, and remember the forgiveness and redemption offered through Jesus Christ.

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