MONDAY

Your Prayers Matter to God

Isaiah 38:3–5 (NIV)

“Remember, Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.’”

When King Hezekiah learned he was about to die, he cried out to God—and the best kind of answer came to him.

Your prayers and your tears are valuable to your heavenly Father. He knows everything that causes you anguish. He isn’t far away when you’re in pain and struggling to survive—He is right here to wrap His arms around you and give you comfort.

If you need an answer or a change in your circumstances, cry out to God like Hezekiah did, and expect the Lord to answer.

Today’s prayer: Lord, thank You for listening to my prayers and knowing exactly what’s going on in my heart. Help me to put my attention on You and not on the problem. In the name of Jesus, amen.

May your Monday be blessed!

 

 

TUESDAY

God Sees Your Suffering

Exodus 3:7

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.” 

When life is tough, it can be really easy to start feeling like God doesn’t understand our pain. Or sometimes we think maybe He does know, but He just doesn’t care.

Our hope—for our relationship, our job, our parent, or whatever else—starts dwindling, and we think God is immune to our prayers.

But that isn’t true. In Exodus 3:7 God knew exactly what His people were going through, and He was concerned at how they suffered.

Jesus came to rescue you. He didn’t come for just the “good” people who might seem more deserving, but He came for you. He sees your pain and your suffering, and He made a way for you to step into a new time of abundant blessing.

Whatever you’re going through today, remember that God sees and knows. He is on your side, and He wants to help you.

Today’s prayer: Lord, thank You for not leaving me here alone. I need You today. Please come and help me with this problem that is too big for me. I know You see my pain, and I put all my trust in You. You are my Father who loves me. In the name of Jesus, amen.

May your Tuesday be blessed!

 

 

WEDNESDAY

Remembering What God Has Done

Exodus 12:26–27

“And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped.

There is something deeply beautiful about remembering what God has done for you.

Over and over again in the Old Testament, God’s people did not remember Him or what He’d done to rescue them from their enemies. Every time they forgot, they would start chasing after other gods, and they would hurt the Lord with their sins.

All of us need to practice remembering who God is and the lovely, wondrous things He’s done to save us. How has He blessed your relationships? How has He blessed your family? What has He done to provide for you? How has He poured out His love upon you?

Take some time today to remember.

Today’s prayer: Lord, in good times and bad, I want to remember who You are and what You’ve done for me in the past. Thank You for saving me. Thank You for the ways You’ve helped me over and over. I have seen Your incredible faithfulness, and I know I will see it again. In the name of Jesus, amen.

May your Wednesday be blessed!

 

 

THURSDAY

Quiet Times

Isaiah 11:9 (NLT)

Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
for as the waters fill the sea,
so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.

In a dating situation when we meet someone we’re attracted to, we want to get to know that person. We spend time with them and try to find out what they think and how they feel about things. We are interested in them, and we show it.

God wants to be known, too. He wants to spend time with us and have conversations around coffee. He wants to be invited on walks and shopping trips. He is interested in us at a level most of us do not understand. If we did understand, it is very likely our lives would look radically different.

It’s possible for weeks, months, or longer stretches of time to go by, and we get caught up in life and forget to spend time with God. We’re busy with work, school, maybe even relationships.

This week, choose a day and spend time with your heavenly Father and His Word. Don’t do this because you have to—but because He’s good and you want to find out what He’s thinking.

Today’s prayer: Father God, You always welcome me to come closer to You. I am amazed at how much You love me and want to be with me. Please help me to hear Your voice more and more. In the name of Jesus, amen.

May your Thursday be blessed!

 

 

FRIDAY

Your Life Shines with Jesus

Isaiah 55:5 (NIV)

Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.

God is the most beautiful being in existence. When we are close to Him, other people can sense it. Even if they don’t know the Lord, they will be able to tell something is different about us.

The presence of God in our lives is like a “bridge” that stretches from Him to people who don’t know Him yet. But even if they aren’t able to put it into words, many of them will be drawn to us. They’ll want to be with us because they can sense that God is good.

When the Lord prospers us, other people can see it. When we speak words of blessing and wisdom instead of cursing, they can feel our hope. When we spread His peace and well-being, we help pull the weights off other people’s shoulders.

This very day, God is with you in power.

Today’s prayer: Father God, thank You for Your presence—not only because it prospers me, but also because it blesses the people around me. Help me to speak Your words and show people who You really are. In the name of Jesus, amen.

May your Friday be blessed!

 

 

SATURDAY

The Best Refuge

Nahum 1:7 (NIV)

The Lord is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him.

In the worst moments of your life, God is the best refuge.

When our hearts are broken, it’s so easy to feel alone. Cast off. All we know is we’re hurting and don’t know what to do.

But in those seasons, if we decide to put all our trust in God, peace comes.

If you just need a break from the world for a while, go hide in Jesus. He will bring you peace and calm. He will reassure you and heal what is broken. He has good plans for your life, and you will be able to see those plans more clearly as you trust Him.

Today’s prayer: Lord, today I look to You for new strength. I know You are with me and want to help me. In You I will always have victory. In the name of Jesus, amen.

May your Saturday be blessed!

 

 

SUNDAY

Think About Heavenly Things

Colossians 3:1, 4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God . . . When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

When we’re stressed out, what we need is to change our focus.

Jesus is our life now. This means we don’t have to listen to fear anymore. It means we aren’t trapped in darkness without hope, doing things that bring only more and more pain into our lives. He stepped into the darkness, pulled us into His arms, and brought us out into the light. He set us free forever.

If you’ve been dealing with anxiety lately, reread today’s passage from Colossians and really meditate on it. Think about what it means for your life and situation.

And then begin to think big. Bring your requests to God, and make them big requests. Bigger than what you’ve prayed for in the past.

It’s time to start being heavenly minded.

Today’s prayer: Father, the world tires me out so quickly, but You’re the One who restores my soul. I need my soul restored today. Help me to hear Your truth and walk in it. In the name of Jesus, amen.

May your Sunday be blessed!

 

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