Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19: 14 NRSV
Psalm 19 is really about God's words. It begins by exclaiming that even nature, although it does not speak with words, proclaims God's creative being. Then it goes on to say that God's laws and scripture should be our guidance and our way all the time. We should not just follow God's words but live out God's words. God's holy commandments keep us from trouble and give us rewards.
But what about our own words? The psalm ends with this verse, emphasizing that our own words need to be in tune with all creation and scripture. And the best way to do this is to make sure our hearts, our inner most being, rests on God alone as our source of strength and stability.
I pray this verse right before I preach every Sunday. I find that it gives me focus and reminds me that my words are not just words but need to be pure and acceptable to God. My inner being also needs to be in tune with the Almighty -- it is not just words but my attitude that should be acceptable.
Perhaps I need to pray this prayer every time I am about to open my mouth because my speech and my heart certainly are far from God's acceptance much of the time outside the pulpit!
How often is your attitude/heart acceptable in God's sight? How often are your words based upon God as your rock and redeemer?
God, may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label heart. Show all posts
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Willing Hearts
Yearly Reading: Exodus 35-39
All the Israelite men and women whose hearts made them willing to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord. Exodus 35:29 NRSV
Is your heart willing to bring a gift to God?
This past week my heart has certainly felt guilty about giving gifts to help the Haitian people. And I can see how often I am guilted into giving, whether at church or for charities.
But that is not what God wants when you and I give.
God wants us to be willing to give. To be moved to give. To have a heart-felt reason to give.
This isn't about duty or guilt. This is about love.
When your heart is involved, it is something you love and care about. When your heart is involved, you give joyfully. When your heart is involved, God is also involved.
God, give us willing hearts to give. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims
All the Israelite men and women whose hearts made them willing to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord. Exodus 35:29 NRSV
Is your heart willing to bring a gift to God?
This past week my heart has certainly felt guilty about giving gifts to help the Haitian people. And I can see how often I am guilted into giving, whether at church or for charities.
But that is not what God wants when you and I give.
God wants us to be willing to give. To be moved to give. To have a heart-felt reason to give.
This isn't about duty or guilt. This is about love.
When your heart is involved, it is something you love and care about. When your heart is involved, you give joyfully. When your heart is involved, God is also involved.
God, give us willing hearts to give. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The eyes of your heart enlightened
I apologize for this not loading yesterday. I set it up to post on Thursday but I think the picture was too much for it. So, today you get two devotionals! A.
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the workings of his great power. Ephesians 1: 15-19 NRSV
According to this part of Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus (although we don't know for certain that it really was Ephesus as he never mentions the church specifically), Paul has never visited this church. However, their reputation proceeds them. They apparently have such faith in Jesus that other Christians have heard of it and passed the word to Paul. They have also been collecting money to be sent to Jerusalem for the poor, the widows and the orphans. That is the love for the saints that Paul is referring to here. So this church is faithful and generous and has come to Paul's attention so that he is giving thanks and praying for them.
Paul is specifically praying that they may have wisdom and revelation as they come to know Jesus. He is asking God that their hearts may be enlightened so that they have a firm grasp of hope, true riches and God's power.
I love the phrase: "with the eyes of your heart enlightened." What does that mean? A literal reading would tell us our hearts have eyes -but we know that isn't true! Paul is speaking metaphorically. It is more than opening your heart to something. If you have eyes, you can see. If your eyes are enlightened, you can not only see more, you see with truth, greater depth and clarity. In fact, you probably realize things that are not truly visible. What a gift that would be!
Wouldn't it be great if someone was praying for the eyes of your heart to be enlightened?
God, I ask that the person reading this prayer right now would be given the gift of having the eyes of their heart enlightened. In Jesus' powerful name I pray. Amen.
Question of the day: What would be be revealed to you if the eyes of your heart are enlightened?
Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the workings of his great power. Ephesians 1: 15-19 NRSV
According to this part of Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus (although we don't know for certain that it really was Ephesus as he never mentions the church specifically), Paul has never visited this church. However, their reputation proceeds them. They apparently have such faith in Jesus that other Christians have heard of it and passed the word to Paul. They have also been collecting money to be sent to Jerusalem for the poor, the widows and the orphans. That is the love for the saints that Paul is referring to here. So this church is faithful and generous and has come to Paul's attention so that he is giving thanks and praying for them.
Paul is specifically praying that they may have wisdom and revelation as they come to know Jesus. He is asking God that their hearts may be enlightened so that they have a firm grasp of hope, true riches and God's power.
I love the phrase: "with the eyes of your heart enlightened." What does that mean? A literal reading would tell us our hearts have eyes -but we know that isn't true! Paul is speaking metaphorically. It is more than opening your heart to something. If you have eyes, you can see. If your eyes are enlightened, you can not only see more, you see with truth, greater depth and clarity. In fact, you probably realize things that are not truly visible. What a gift that would be!
Wouldn't it be great if someone was praying for the eyes of your heart to be enlightened?
God, I ask that the person reading this prayer right now would be given the gift of having the eyes of their heart enlightened. In Jesus' powerful name I pray. Amen.
Question of the day: What would be be revealed to you if the eyes of your heart are enlightened?
Copyright 2009 Amelia G. Sims
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