prowess

Tuesday, January 22, 2013 (6:57 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

Here's a word I didn't expect! Prowess. Distinguished valor or bravery, especially in combat or battle; exceptional or superior ability, skill, or strength. Teach me what it is You have for me here.

Father, I love You. You provide for us so perfectly. Little did I expect to find the word prowess in Your Word, yet here it is. Several times. And each I look into is causing me to smile and utter indistinguishable sounds of amazement. Thank You Father.

To Job (38:2-39:30) You presented a series of questions to illustrate how little he knew about Your ways and all that You had created. You didn't explain his suffering, but instead revealed Your omnipotence and wisdom. How do we argue the fact that You are God and we, merely man!

Thank You Father for Your call on our lives to worship and trust You all the while we praise You and await Your deliverance. I confess how I tend not to do this. No. I am so much more apt to complain and fret, while I criticize and agonize. Thank You that Your ways are SO not ours (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Your Word offers so much hope when only we take the time to steep in it. Thank You that in each of the verses I have turned to this morning there has been a nod of my head agreeing with our foolish understandings and self-imposed imprisonments.

I turned to Ezekiel (23) and read the Parable of Two Sisters. Despite all the blessings You provided the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, they sold themselves into a place of spiritual harlotry. How often we turn to the things that bring us fleeting pleasure in our feeble attempts to hide from the inner pain that only YOU can heal!

We are reminded in Isaiah (28:1-6) of the quickly fading beauty of the things of this world and the lasting value of closely following Your commands. Thank You Father for Your willing desire to completely fill our lives with Your grace and Your glory.

Two Psalms use the word prowess. One (49:10) tells of it being left behind by the rich, proud and wise “right along with fools and dunces”. The other (59:16-17) is where I humbly ask You to make me successful today.

The Message uses prowess where The Living Bible says 'power and mercy'. “But as for me, I will sing each morning about your power and mercy. For You have been my high tower of refuge, a place of safety in the day of my distress. O my Strength, to You I sing my praises; for you are my high tower of safety, my God of mercy.”

Father, I turn towards the words I can easily understand, then I look up the ones that I stumble over. This morning it was The Message to which I returned. “And me? I'm singing Your prowess [mastery], shouting at cockcrow [dawn] Your largesse [generosity], For You've been a safe place for me, a good place to hide. Strong God, I'm watching You do it, I can always count on You – God, my dependable love.”

No wonder the husband and I are both singing ♫Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing Power and majesty Praise to the King; Mountains bow down and the seas will roar At the sound of Your name. I sing for joy at the work of Your hands, Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand, Nothing compares to the promise I have in You♫

Father, thank You for giving me another word to explore this morning. Remind me that it is Your prowess I trust.

Jesus, thank You for ALL You have done in making this conversation possible.

Holy Spirit, be with me this day as I go about living and loving You Three as I ought.

I do love You! As I thank You. Amen.

(657 words ~ 8:24 a.m.)