God's Gifts #19

Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.

Psalms 86:4-7, www.solascriptura.com

Father, sometimes we find it hard to rejoice, not because You have moved away from us, but because the cares of this world are upon us. It seems, Father, that the only completely reliable relationship in life is with You and therefore we rejoice in that certainty.

You are always good, You never offer mixed messages or guidance that is situational and we can trust You in every circumstance. That is not true of our relationships with people, most of the time, but to the extent we are the ones who are untrustworthy and inconsistent, help us, this day to be more like You.

Teach us to be patient and kind with all people just as You are with us, ready to forgive and to be abundant in mercy.

Father, You do hear our prayers, You even are intervening for us when we do not know where to turn. In our moments of anxiety and trouble, we will turn to You. To whom else can we turn? Your concern for our individual needs is a reality that we cannot fully grasp.

Bless us and guide us, we pray in Jesus' Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell