A Prayer For Every Day

Teach us, Lord, to count our blessings. We try to think of all the good things You have done for us, all the great gifts You have given to us. We cannot keep up with You, Lord. There is so much to count, so much for which we can only say, ‘Thank You, Lord.’

Terrible things were happening! Things were going from bad to worse. ‘What next?’ - The people were wondering where it would all end. Lord, what are we to do when everything seems to be getting totally out of control? There is one thing we must never forget. It is the most important thing of all. We must ‘pray to the Lord our God.’We must ask You, Lord, to ‘show us the way we should go.’You will ‘show us the thing that we should do’ (Jeremiah 42:2-3). May we learn that it’s time to stop complaining and start praying.

‘I will bring them back to this place’ (Jeremiah 32:37). Lord, You're bringing us into Your ‘place.’ You're bringing us close to Yourself: ‘They will be My people, and I will be their God’ (Jeremiah 32:38). You're bringing us into the ‘place’ of obedience: ‘I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me’ (Jeremiah 32:40). You're leading us to the ‘place’ of blessing: ‘I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and the good of their children after them’ (Jeremiah 32:39). Sometimes, Lord, our life seems like ‘a desolate waste.’ Help us never to lose sight of Your purpose: ‘I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all My heart and soul’ (Jeremiah 32:43,41). We thank You, Lord, that You will not leave us in our ‘desolate waste.’ You will lead us to a better ‘place’ - the ‘place’ of obedience and blessing.

‘Will you not learn a lesson and obey My words?’ (Jeremiah 35:13) - ‘Jonadab, son of Rechab, ordered his sons not to drink wine and this command has been kept... I have spoken to you again and again, yet you have not obeyed Me’ (Jeremiah 35:14). Lord, help us not to say, ‘I will follow You’, and then change our mind (Luke 9:57). Help us  not to sing, ‘Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee’, and then live a life which contradicts our prayer of commitment to You. Help us to mean what we say - to follow through our words of commitment with a life of obedience, a life that is pleasing to You. We read about the Rechabites. They were obedient to Jonadaab’s command - and You blessed them (Jeremiah 35:18-19). Obedient and blessed - That’s what You want us to be. Help us, Lord, to obey You - and look to You for the blessing.

‘The king cut it with the penknife, and threw it into the fire’ (Jeremiah 36:23). Help us, Lord, not to be like this king. He didn’t like Your Word. He thought he could get rid of Your Word. What a fool he was! You saw what was going on. The king’s attempt to silence You was utterly futile. You would not be silenced. You continued to speak Your Word. Soon, the king was hearing another Word from You: ‘You burned that scroll...’ (Jeremiah 36:29)! Lord, You’re still speaking to us today. You’re calling us to listen to You. You’re calling us back from the way of ‘wickedness’, back from the brink of ‘disaster’ (Jeremiah 36:31). You’re calling us back from the way of unbelief, the way that leads to ‘the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.’You’re calling us to be ‘blessed.’ Help us to have faith in the Saviour - to receive ‘the Kingdom prepared for us since the creation of the world’ (Matthew 25:41,34).

Lord, You speak to us: ‘The Word of the Lord came to me’ (Ezekiel 3:16). We speak to You: 'Ah, Lord God!' (Ezekiel 4:14). We speak for You: ‘When I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, “This is what the Lord God says, Whoever will listen, let him listen...”’ (Ezekiel 3:27). How can we keep on listening to You, speaking to You and speaking for You? We need to be strengthened with the power of the Holy Spirit: ‘The Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet’ (Ezekiel 3:24). We thank You, Lord, that the Spirit is our ‘Helper.’He helps us to listen to You: ‘The Holy Spirit will teach you all things’ (John 14:26). He helps us to speak to You: ‘The Spirit helps us in our weakness’ (Romans 8:26). He helps us to speak for You: ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses’ (Acts 1:8).