PSALM 86 -
"Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am devoted to You.
You are my God; save your servant who trusts in You.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long.
Bring joy to Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You.
Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy.
In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me.
Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; no deeds can compare with Yours.
All the nations You have made will come and worship before You, O Lord;
They will bring glory to Your name.
For You are great and do marvelous deeds; You alone are God.
Teach me Your way, O LORD, and I will walk in Your truth;
Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.
For great is Your love toward me; You have delivered me from the depths of the grave.
The arrogant are attacking me, O God;
A band of ruthless men seeks my life— men without regard for You.
But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
Slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
Grant Your strength to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant.
Give me a sign of Your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
For You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me."
Father we want to desire You above all. Don't let us look to the right or the left, not for fear of what we might see or be tempted by, but because we have eyes to see what really brings peace and joy and fulfillment and meaning and purpose. And so we keep our eyes fixed upward because we know more than anything that we were created to live lives of surrender, of a continual giving up, of a holy weakness in order to find them truly and more abundantly in You, our perfect creator.
Remind us just as You said that if we seek first Your kingdom that all we need will be given; and how the most important commandment of loving You w/ everything that we are is not because You "need" us, but because You want us and You know that our wholeness is based on how much of ourselves we give away; Father because You know that we need as much of You as possible in order to be truly satisfied. Remind our hearts that they were shaped for the purpose of worshipping You!
Lord, would You turn our eyes from the worthless things of this world and give us life in You and Your word. Keep us aware of Yourself in us, around us, and in all good things. We look to You Father, our Creator and redeemer, our Savior and Lord, our Friend and greatest Hope.
