Sufficient Grace

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Paul asked God for more, and this was the answer.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (AMP)
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation].”

I say, More please.

God says, You already have more than enough.


“Oh, to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.”
Robert Robinson, 1758
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

 

Good morning, Lord. You have given me amazing grace and unfailing love. I have more than enough, more than I can ask or think. Yet here I am again, with my list of desires. And here You are, ready to listen. You are so gracious and patient with me, grant me the same grace and patience. Help me accept “Not yet” and “No” as answers.


Teach me to trust Your wisdom and not my own.

 

 

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Personal Prosperity

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

What is it to prosper personally, to be prosperous? Let’s take King David, for example.

1 Saurel 18:14 (AMP)
David acted wisely and prospered in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.


“Prospered” — in Hebrew, sakal, meaning to have insight and intelligence, to act wisely, to be prudent, to understand, to have success.

To prosper, as this verse says David did, involves behavior, not riches. It’s not what we own, it is how we think and act.

I want to prosper like David.

 

Good morning, Lord. As the song says, “we’ve come this far by faith” — it’s not my own doing, but Your plan and Your power. Forgive me for taking credit for work You have done through me. My deeds prosper only because You have granted me the inspiration, skills, wisdom and opportunity. Thank You.

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National Prosperity

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

How would you measure the prosperity of a nation? Here are some possibilities.

 

 

        • Total wealth
        • Economic output
        • Employment rate
        • Average income

How does God evaluate a nation’s prosperity? Perhaps he looks at justice and righteousness.

Proverbs 17:15 (EXB)
The Lord hates both of these things: freeing the guilty and punishing the innocent [judging the righteous wicked and the wicked righteous].

Now that’s something to think about.

 

Good morning, Lord. I pray for my nation: may we people of justice and righteousness, maintaining moral order by loving one another as You love us — without regard to race or economic status. Give us eyes to see Your image stamped on every person, give us the discipline and good will to bring out the best in everyone.


May we do onto each other as we would have them do onto us.

 

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Sufficiency or Prosperity

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

I pray,

“Give us this day our daily bread.”
(Matthew 6:11)

 

It is a request for sufficiency–for what I need. But sometimes I make it into a request for personal prosperity–for me to provide for myself everything I want. I’m asking God to grant me self-sufficiency, I’m asking for the ability and resources to fill my every desire.

I need an attitude adjustment.

 

Good morning, Lord. Forgive my desire to accumulate more and more. Fill me with gratitude for what You have provided. Teach me to be content with what I have. Help me understand the concept of “enough.”

Give me this day enough to get me through this day.

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Earthquake and Darkness to Come

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

The book of Revelation gives us a peek into the future:

Revelation 6:12 (NLT)
 I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. 

In the span of a few days, I experienced a small earthquake and a partial eclipse–a brief preview of what’s yet to come.

 

Good morning, Lord. Your Word tells us that things will get worse before they get better, before You come again and establish Your kingdom. Frankly, I’d like an easy transition, where things get better and better till they reach perfection. But I understand that evil won’t go away gently. When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” give me eyes to see it coming Your way. Your will, not mine, be done.

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Shaky Ground and Darkness

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


“On shaky ground” means I’m in an uncomfortable position. “In the dark” means I don’t know what’s going on. Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922) knew the feeling and wrote these words:

 

My heart has no desire to stay
Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound,
My prayer, my aim, is higher ground. 

Like Oatman, I’m aiming higher, above earthquakes and beyond eclipses — where the ground is solid and the light is always bright.

 

Good morning, Lord. I read the news and hear updates from around the world, and I see creeping chaos. If I dwell on it, I’m terrified. Fill me with hope, O God! Place in my heart a sincere longing for Your coming kingdom, for eternal peace and rest — no more pain, no more conflict, no more power grabs, no more lies, no more destruction. Fill my soul with the hope of heaven.

 

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Earthquake, Eclipse and Easter

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Friday, I felt a small earthquake. On Monday, I saw a partial eclipse. It brought to mind Scripture I read during Easter week.

 

Matthew 27:45, 50-51 (ESV)
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour … Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

… And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

I just got a tiny peek into the big picture.

 

Good morning, Lord. I see so much that reminds me of Your glory and power: the bright yellow of forsythia and the soft pink of cherry trees, the blue of the skies and the dark thunder clouds, the hustling squirrels and plodding bears. Sometimes Your power is beautiful, sometimes it is scary. Teach me to both love and fear You.


Fill me with reverence for Your holiness, gratitude for Your grace.

 

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The Unexpected and the Predictable

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Friday: an unexpected earthquake
Monday: a much-anticipated eclipse

They bring to mind God’s conversation with Job (read the whole thing in Job, chapters 38-42).

 

Job 38:4, 33 (NIV)
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand …
Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?”

God does both the expected and unexpected (that is, unexpected by us — God is never surprised). On earth and in heaven, God reigns! Declare along with Job:

Job 42:2
“I know that you can do all things;
 no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

 


Good morning, Lord. Sometimes I’m certain of my purpose for the day and sometimes You surprise me. Either way, teach me to obey. Grant me wisdom as I make up today’s to-do list and let me hold it loosely–willing to let it go and change it up as You direct. Your will, not mine, be done.

 

 

 

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Eclipsing the Glory

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Psalm 19:1 (NIV)
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

The sun and the moon declare the glory of God … especially during today’s eclipse.

 

 


Good morning, Lord. Augustine said it better than I can:

 


“Lead us, O God, from the sight of the lovely things of the world
To the thought of Thee their Creator;
And grant that delighting in the beautiful things of Thy creation,
we may delight in Thee, the first Author of beauty
and the Sovereign Lord of all Thy works, blessed for evermore.”
Augustine of Hippo (354-430)

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With and In

Posted on April 5, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

“Christ with me,
Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left.”
St. Patrick (5th century)


Christ in me. Christ around me. I am never alone.

 


Good morning, Lord. “Christ in me,” like the air I breathe. Everywhere I go, You go. And yet, I am not in charge. Sometimes, I confess, I try to push You into a dark corner, simply because I want to think or do something You wouldn’t. Silly me, thinking I can push God around. Forgive my foolishness!


Shine Your light into all the dark places of my soul, Lord. Shine, Jesus, shine.

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