Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

"We know how much God loves us,
and we have put our trust in his love.
God is love, and all who live in love live
in God, and God lives in them. And as
we live in God, our love grows more
perfect. So we will not be afraid on the
day of judgment, but we can face him
with confidence because we live like
Jesus here in this world. Such love has
no fear, because perfect love expels all
fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of
punishment, and this shows that
we have not fully experienced his perfect
love. We love each other because he
loved us first. If someone says, "I love God,"
but hates a Christian brother or sister, that
person is a liar; for if we don’t love people
we can see, how can we love God, whom
we cannot see? And he has given us this
command: Those who love God must also
love their Christian brothers and sisters."
(1 John 4:16-21)

Reflection:

We realize that though we can’t see or touch
God, we can see and touch and serve other people.
We love God back by loving others he loves,
particularly fellow Christians.
Learning to love God is a lifetime process that
starts with an acknowledgment of his love for
us and grows as we learn to serve and love
our neighbor.

Prayer:

Thank you for loving me oh God,
help me to love and serve others.
Through Jesus Love AMEN

Day Forty-Five: March 6, 2009

For President Obama to have God’s
wisdom as he works with members
of his team to solve our country’s
economic crisis

Who, then, is the man that fears
the LORD? He will instruct him in
the way chosen for him. He will
spend his days in prosperity, and
his descendants will inherit the land.
--Psalm 25:12-13 (NIV)

Mighty God, all resources and all
wealth have You as their origin.
I praise You for Your greatness
and power; for the awesome and
vast wealth and wisdom that are
found in You. You are the source
of all wisdom, and You kindly
promise to give wisdom to Your
children when we humble ourselves
and ask You for it! I praise and bless
You for this today, Lord!

I bring before You the great need in
our nation for economic recovery,
asking that You guide President
Obama and his economic advisory
team as they work together to bring
a turnaround in our nation’s troubled
economy. Lead them with Your wisdom,
gracious Lord, and let them be eager
to seek Your guidance as they
discern how to help our economy
and, in turn, those most deeply
impacted by the current troubles.
I ask this in Your holy name,
Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Scripture:

But happy are those who have the God
of Israel as their helper, whose hope is
in the Lord their God.
Psalm 146:5 NLT

I'll praise my Maker while I've breath;
And when my voice is lost in death.
Praise shall employ my nobler pow'rs;
My days of praise shall ne'er be past,
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.

Happy the man whose hopes rely
On Israel's God! He made the sky,
And earth, and sea, with all their train;
His truth for ever stands secure;
He saves the oppressed, He feeds the poor,
And none shall find His promise vain.
I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath
(v1,2), ISAAC WATTS (1674-1748)

In Westminster Abbey stands a
statue of Isaac Watts with a pen
in his hand. Not far from Watts,
John Wesley is also honored.
This hymn has connections to
both men.

As John Wesley lay dying, he
surprised his friends gathered
around his bedside by singing
in a clear voice this hymn of
Isaac Watts: "I'll praise my Maker
while I've breath, and when my
voice is lost in death, praise shall
employ my nobler powers."

The next day he tried to sing the
hymn again, but he could not. Two
or three times he began, but could
only say the words "I'll praise."
That was all he could get out of
his mouth. Then, with those words
on his lips, he was ushered into glory.

adapted from The One Year® Book
of Hymns by Mark Norton and Robert
Brown, Tyndale House Publishers (1995),
entry for February 27