Prayer and Reflection
The old year is out, and the new year is in and as in any journey, we all would be wise to prepare with prayer and reflection.
The prayer would primarily be asking for God’s direction and safety, while reflection might refresh one’s memory about some journey made at another time, and the strategies that you used to be a successful traveler. Both actions can make your trail a smoother one, yet with the new year, we must remain alert and vigilant for the pitfalls and dangers that are sure to abound.
Past knowledge of trips and trails that you have experienced can help you be aware of possible problem areas and how to route yourself around them. And you can be assured that faith and trust in God’s direction will enable you to be confident that you are on the right path.
Speaking of the right path, I am afraid our country, the good ol’ USA, must have zigged when she should have zagged, and I am not sure but what she may be a tad off course. Not a lot we can do about that except ask the Good Lord to keep us safe.
The great commandment from Jesus was to “Love one another” and I think you will agree with me that there are more than a few scamps that are going to be hard to love! But that is what Christians have been commanded to do, not just the easy ones, but love everyone.
So, it is my opinion that we follow the lead of our Savior and start with the prayer that He used to teach us to pray, The Lord’s Prayer. We acknowledge God and praise Him.
“Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”
Then we ask Him to meet our needs, now listen close, our “needs” not our wants and desires.
“Give us this day our daily bread.”
The next phrase is especially important because it is talking about “forgiveness!” Now I don’t know about you, but I have a passel of folks that will be hard to forgive, so I am going to be quite busy keeping my attitude focused on forgiving them, but that is what the prayer instructs us to do.
“Forgive us of our transgressions as WE, that’s you and me, forgive those that transgress against us!”
And then we ask that God not allow us to be tempted and that He deliver us from evil.
“And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.”
And you better believe that there is a ton of evil lurking nearby because Satan is never idle! Then we finish the prayer acknowledging that God is the power, and the kingdom, and the Glory forever and ever. We close with “Amen.”
Don’t let yourself be lured into this foolishness of changing language, because we know that changing the meaning of things is just not Biblical!
Sunday, Pastor Judd preached from Psalms 67, showing us one more place in the Bible that instructs in the way of prayer. Reading and research will give you the answer.
My Ol’ Daddy often used the Lord’s Prayer in his own prayer life and was known to say, “One’s prayers need to be sincere and straight from the heart. Then God will relieve you of all fear and grant you a fresh start.”
Prayer and Reflection
On a creek bank, in the shade of the Cottonwood,
A weathered old cowhand took time to ponder,
On things of life, the bad as well as the good,
An’ he thanked God for His grace from here to yonder.
For Mary who gave birth to our Savior an’ Lord,
Then the death of Jesus on Calvary’s tree,
An’ how He conquered death, His life now restored,
A promise of eternal life for you an’ for me.
He thanked an’ praised God for His constant care,
An’ for guidin’ him safely along the way,
For a life of freedom under sun an’ fresh air,
An’ for holdin’ him close day after day.
For a life of ridin’ a trail that warn’t too hard,
An’ the wonderful sights an’ gentle breeze,
An’ all the blessin’s he had received from his Lord,
An’ for that good horse between his knees.
In his younger days, he had been a bit of a fright,
But a kind ol’ gent had read him the word,
Then God’s love an’ grace turned darkness into light,
An’ a new direction for his life had occurred.
An’ a good life it was, filled with God’s grace,
He rode on as he began to understand,
As his work carried him from place to place,
Talkin’ with folks an’ ridin’ for God’s brand.
Jesus had taught folks to love and spread God’s word,
That the world might hear and through the Word, be saved,
As toward Satan’s snare an’ Hell’s fire they spurred,
To spend eternity forever enslaved.
If only they would repent an’ receive the Son,
God’s grace would cleanse an’ make them whole again,
Their sins He would forgive, old nature would be undone,
Eternal life would be theirs, unshackled from their sin!
He had answered the call an’ shared God’s plan,
Yet, the miles an’ the years kept pilin’ on,
Yes, he had fought the fight, throughout his lifespan,
Well done! He heard his Lord say in the early dawn
On a creek bank in the shade of the Cottonwood
A weathered old cowhand took time to ponder
On things of life, the bad as well as the good
An’ he thanked God for His grace from here to yonder.
© Ol’ Jim Cathey January 2021
Pray for our Nation.
God Bless each of you and God Bless America!