Sunday Prayer | May We Humble Ourselves

This morning as I wake, I wonder what is going on in our world. Division and strife fuel the globe. Each day, we are repulsed by a horrific act, like a man throwing a woman and her son into the path of an oncoming train or some lost, angry soul slaughtering innocents shopping on a Saturday. I look outside at our bed of sunflowers and elephant ears, hear the birds chirping, and watch the bees buzzing from bloom to bloom. I am reminded that even during the darkest times, there is a light and that light has not been overcome by the darkness (John 1:5).

You have shaken the land and split it open. Heal its fissures, for it shudders.

Psalm 60:2 (HCSB)

Amid our seemingly hopeless plight, we have hope. We can love and be loved. We can remain steadfast in our faith because we serve and worship a great and amazing God. He is for us, not against us. We have an advocate and a counselor who goes to bat for us even when we do not know what we are fighting against or able to find the words to express the needs we face.

…if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

God is quick to forgive if only we are willing to acknowledge Him for who He is and ask His forgiveness. This wicked world is not His making, but rather our doing. We have soiled the earth which we inhabit. We can do better. We can be better. But it requires a humble heart to recognize the harm our pride and avarice have wrought.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:10 (HCSB)

Father God, let us humble ourselves in Your presence. Let our voices and our hearts exalt You, creator of Heaven and Earth. Let us seek Your wisdom and guidance as we strive to live a life pleasing to You. Help us stop warring against one another. Help us heal the hurts and heartaches of the past so we can focus clearly on doing right today and preparing for what lies ahead in the future. Give us strength, Almighty God. For apart from You, we are powerless and our lives are unmanageable messes that we are unable to overcome. But, You, through Christ and by Your Holy Spirit, can meet all our needs and fill our souls with the love that they long for. Amen. Amen. Amen.

Praise God, praise God, praise God.

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-25

Blessings,

The Devotional Guy™