wisely and well

Thursday, July 31, 2014 (7:00 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

Another month comes rapidly to its end. And with it, more than half of another year.

(7:55 a.m.)

And just like that [SNAP!] 55 more minutes!

Father, I love You. I want to live my life for You. With You. In You. By You. As I express this desire to You, Psalm 90:12 is powerfully present.

(10:25 a.m.)

And hours later, still is.

The Message, “Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!”

GOD'S WORD Translation, “Teach us to number each of our days so that we may grow in wisdom.”

Living Bible, “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.”

Here I ask You to do exactly that in and with me. Enable and empower me to live this day as You would have me. Glorifying and enjoying You. Sharing You freely with others.

I love You Father. I truly long to live this day wisely and well. Make it so I pray. Make it so. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(189 words ~ 10:37 a.m.)

blessings nonetheless

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 (8:19 a.m.)

Good morning.

Hi God,

It's been such a long while. So much has happened. And still what comes most readily to my mind and lips is, “Thank You God!”

Thank You for the blessings You so freely give us. Blessings often disguised. Unrecognized. Ah, but blessings nonetheless.

There's been childcare. A broken toe. Miscommunications. Health scares. Unexpected guests. Joyful invitations. Blessings all. In one way or another, blessings in there somewhere.

Father God, how I thank You. At times it's easier than others. Occasionally it is unreservedly. Completely. Without much hesitation. At others, I must confess I have to think about it. It may take awhile, but in doing so I find where we have been or are currently being blessed.

The biggest blessing for me this past week was in once again being reminded of the power of Jesus' words. In the sermon I heard on Sunday I felt myself included in a question He asked His disciples, “But what about you? Who do YOU say I am?” (Mark 8:29a).

I immediately sat up and took notice. I've asked myself repeatedly, “Who do I say You are?”

Thank You for including me. Thank You for again providing me with the ultimate in comforting words and Truth. Much later in the sermon I was challenged to “Live by faith – not fear”. Reminded that Jesus is the Christ. The Son of the Living God, who raises the dead.

And then, right there at the very end of the lesson “Jesus, the Son of God” (The Story, Chapter 25) were words I have wanted to live my life on for years. Matthew 14:27 (New Living Translation), “But Jesus spoke to them at once. 'It's all right,' He said. 'I am here! Don't be afraid.'”

What would it be like to truly believe that? To actually live my decisions and actions, thoughts and who I am to the very core based on You being here with me. To take courage. Be of good cheer. Calm down. Not worry or be afraid. To truly be brave! Take heart. Hope. Cheer up. Be glad.

All these ways of saying the same thing. The Voice says it very simply, “Be still. It is I. You have nothing to fear.”

Jesus, I am here asking You to make it so! Continue the work You must do in me so that I can truly live each moment in faith not fear.

I love You so. My Savior. Protector. Deliverer. Friend. Companion. Biggest Brother. All I need in this world and the next. My Life. Redeemer. Hope. Just a beginning of who I say You are.

I love You. I thank You. And I ask You to help me live this day glorifying and enjoying “Our Father, who arts in Heaven...”

Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(477 words ~ 10:28 a.m.)

tranquil

Monday, July 21, 2014 (7:33 a.m.)

Awesome, Blessed God,

Thank You. Thank You for a cool breeze. Happy sounds. Peaceful, tranquil surroundings. Mm, yes. Tranquil. That was said of our yard the other day. A simple comment made in passing that buoyed our hearts.

Father, You have afforded us this opportunity of tranquility. I look to Your Word. Read various verses containing the term and am pleased as I recognize it describing Your peace.

Numbers 6:26 in the Amplified Bible asks the blessing of “peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).” Mm!

It's Philippians 4:7 on which I choose to focus. “And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

I take this verse over to The Life Recovery Bible and read verses 4-9. In reading them again, I wonder how it is that I so easily forget the wisdom found here.

The comment for this section reads, “True happiness can be found in every situation of life when we recognize that God is at work and always in control.” Oh yes. Amen!

“Because Christ is with us and His return is certain, we can act calmly in pain and difficulty.” Too often I forget. I curse. Moan. Gripe. Forgive me.

“Peace and joy [tranquility] come when we focus on those things that provide lasting value to our life.” Hmm... lasting value!

“The more we commit ourself to knowing God's will through prayer and study of His Word, the better prepared we are to help ourself and others in the process of recovery.”

Mm, yes Father. 'Help ourself and others'. Through You! How I ask that You would keep me grounded and focused on You and the things You would have me most concerned with.

Another word for tranquility, is described in a devotional for the next four verses. “Serenity is having an inner calm in the midst of the ups and downs of life. It involves learning to be content with the things in our lives that cannot be changed.”

Father, thank You for the work You are doing in each of us. Drawing us ever closer to complete dependence on You. I love You so very much. Thank You for the opportunity to begin this day feeling tranquil. Use me well I pray. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(429 words ~ 8:12 a.m.)

opportunity and privilege

Friday, July 18, 2014 (8:07 a.m.)

Incredible God and Father,

Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for Your love. Thank You for the opportunity and privilege of speaking freely about each.

We get to read Your Word openly. We are able to discuss with one another our findings. Much is written about what we find to be Truth. And it is all fairly easy for us to access.

Thank You Father. Thank You for giving us the example of the Bereans (Acts 17:11) to follow. Not only are we to listen to the teachings of others, “The people in Berea... studied the Scriptures every day to make sure that what they heard was really true.”

We are often confronted with problems. Thank You that we have the opportunity and privilege of bringing them all right straight to You.

Yesterday the phrase “God won't give us more than we can handle” was brought up. In searching Your Word for the Truth on this, 1 Corinthians 10:13 was most often cited. But it has to do with temptation and being tempted.

Digging deeper I came across 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 where Paul speaks of suffering trials and experiencing Your comfort in the midst. He was willing to openly share his experiences of learning not to rely on himself or Timothy but on You (v. 9) to deliver them from every mortal danger (10).

This is exactly what I'm talking about! We hear things in passing. We are even taught things from the pulpits in church. But You call us to take every opportunity and privilege that we have to discern what Your Word tells us is Your Truth.

Thank You Father. Thank You for all the opportunities and privileges You provide to openly share Your love, mercy and grace with others. Teach us to do it well. Freely. Truly.

I love You so very much. And I “really, really, really want” (Pastor Jay Koopman, Sunday 7/13/14, Praise Chapel AZUSA) to live the life You have so generously and graciously provided me. Work in me. Do with and for me all that You must to make it so. I love You. I thank You. I want You. Amen.

(365 words ~ 9:14 a.m.)

"being blessed"

Monday, July 14, 2014 (9:56 a.m.)

Most Holy God and Father,

Thank You! I was aware of being blessed yesterday right in the middle of the blessing. A completely unexpected visit from her dad caused audible shrieks and visible tears of joy for his daughter. And I got to be there to see it.

Wow! Yes - WOW!!

YOU give us opportunity every single day to erupt in shrieks and tears of joy from our encounters with You. Whether we are too busy to notice when it's really, truly You. Or too bored. Too complacent... I can tell You right now, I want to be that excited. That completely blown away by Your love for me.

I witnessed the love each had for the other. The joy. The look in each of their eyes. The surpriser, as well as the surprised. Blessed. I was truly blessed by the occasion. Thank You Father.

a mighty work

Sunday, July 13, 2014 (6:47 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

Many years ago You did a mighty work in me.

(7:15 a.m.)

And now I'm crying!

Father, thank You. Thank You for the love with which You created us. Thank You for the love You provide to sustain us. Thank You that it is that very love that changes us. Love. Your love.

And herein lies the story of You changing my life. Your Word provides us with inspiring Truth. When we recognize Your Truth and act upon it, we are nourished. As we continue living our lives based on Your Word, we are changed.

You teach me to surrender to Your teachings. You empower and enable me to do all that I cannot possibly ever do on my own. You get to our very core. Our root. You ARE the Gardener who cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more (John 15:1-2).

Father God, I don't know how many years it has been since You spoke louder to me than I can ever remember. Oh, but how I thank You for Your Word. Your Truth!

Despicable words had been exchanged between a hurting brother and sister. Far below the belt, hateful insults were screamed nose-to-nose at each other outside in a driveway. Feelings were much more than hurt. They were annihilated!

A daughter of one and grandson of the other were witness to the vile ugliness of it all. Each hugging the other for comfort, as well as a degree of safety. How I humble at the memory.

These tears of celebration I shed at the final outcome of Your work on our behalf are currently mixed with such a remembrance of shame and regret. Oh Father, how I thank You for Your mighty work!

A mighty work that has that same brother and sister planning to go to church this morning in honor of the 85^th anniversary of their mom's birth. That mighty work that came about only because of Your tremendous love, mercy and grace.

The Message version of Philippians 1:9 practically screamed Your Truth to me all those years ago. My heart continues to melt each time I remember it. Tears flow and the breath catches short in my throat.

“So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well.”

As I sit here sobbing at Paul's words, Father, I am again caught by the Truth that I still love much, but not all that well. You have so much more for us. I squander much and share little. Ah, but You are You. Holy. Trustworthy. Faithful. And I look to You. Knowing, trusting, believing that You will continue doing Your mighty work in and through and with each of us.

And here I take the J.B. Phillips New Testament and ask You to once again do a mighty work in me. Make it so for me to fully live Paul's prayer to the believers in Philippi.

“My prayer for you is that you may have still more love – a love that is full of knowledge and wise insight. I want you to be able always to recognise the highest and the best, and to live sincere and blameless lives until the day of Jesus Christ. I want to see your lives full of true goodness, produced by the power that Jesus Christ gives you to the praise and glory of God” (Philippians 1:9-11). Yes Father, please. 

Love. Your highest and best. Sincere and blameless lives. True goodness. All produced by the power of Jesus. Praise and glory to You. THAT is how I desire to live each moment. Show me. Teach me. Empower and enable me. In Your Son's most holy name I ask. Amen.

(631 words ~ 8:18 a.m.)

"How else"

Friday, July 11, 2014 (7:15 a.m.)

Awesome God,

Good morning. Hi. Hello. Greetings. What else? Hmm... I love You. Yes. I love You.

How else to begin this morning?

“How else”. Are You joking me God? Really? I can even find fellowship with You by asking, “How else”?

Thank You! Thank You that I get to read in Your Word of others who asked the same thing. Moses (Exodus 33:15-16). Job (31:21-23). Paul (Romans 3:2-6).

A casual question. Genuine. Yet at the same time, fairly informal. Oh, but it puts me right in the center of such good company!

Three such faithful men of Yours.

The Life Recovery Bible's comment for the Exodus account says, “When Moses asked to experience God's comforting presence and see His glory, he was not seeking to glorify himself.” Father, I long to be that selfless.

The comment continues, “A clear vision of God is important for all of us to have. As we see Him more clearly, we are better able to understand our own strengths and limitations. This scene shows Moses growing spiritually in a remarkable way. All of us should seek to know God better and to experience His presence in our life.”

Yes. Please. Sign me up for “growing spiritually in a remarkable way”, as well as seeking “to know God better and to experience His presence in our life”. I have a germ of an idea what that would look like. While at the very same I know my thoughts don't come anywhere close to all life in You has to offer.

Father, how I thank You for the way a casual question made to You can take me so eagerly into Your presence. Be with me this day. Continue reminding me of the power and strength we have in Your Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). Be in and with me in all I think, say, am and do this day. Let me glorify and enjoy You as You wish.

I love You. I thank You. And I ask all this in Your Son's most holy name. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(353 words ~ 11:08 a.m.)

completion

Thursday, July 10, 2013 (6:53 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

I'm here asking You to grow in me a willingness to complete what I start. I confess to doubting myself and a slew of ideas. While something may look good in my head, uncertainty as well as boredom will often halt any progressive momentum I get going. Great plans, very little follow through.

Again I'm reading Paul's letter to the people of Philippi. I feel myself completely relax with the Truth I find in Your Word. As I become more aware of my breathing, soothing, regular breaths are taken in deeply. My mind clears. Heart smiles. A peacefulness washes over me, as though I am truly transfixed.

Mm. Thank You Father. Thank You for peacefulness. Pleasure. Hope. Joy. Experiences Paul refers to while writing from his prison cell, not knowing the outcome of his upcoming trial.

Blessed Father, You amaze me! I come to You believing that I'm thinking one thing, only to read further and see I am not alone. You knew millennia before I ever came into being that I would need to be reminded of Your steadfastness.

I get to read from Paul's own perspective of the hope and joy that comes from following Jesus. Romans 8:37-39 is cited in The Life Recovery Bible's devotional on Perseverance (Philippians 1:2-6). It reminds us that “overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

Too often I revert to the trap of thinking I'm in this life alone. That decisions and actions are mine to make solely. On those rare occasions that I do invite someone else in to share the burden, it's usually another person. Very rarely is my 'go to' You.

Yet, when I do remember to bring my ideas to You first there is the realization that I am never alone. Father, how I ask You to keep working in me. Continue Your plan as You know is best.

Taking the verse “And I am sure that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (1:6 RSV) that brought me to Philippians in the first place this morning,  to The Voice I get an even deeper understanding of it.

“I am confident that the Creator, who has begun such a great work among you, will not stop in mid-design but will keep perfecting you until the day Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, returns to redeem the world.”

When it comes to things and ideas to complete, make sure mine are You minded. Do Your work in me that I will desire all that is pleasing to You.

I love You Father. I need You. I thank You. And I ask all this in Your Blessed Son's most holy name. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(469 words ~ 8:25 a.m.)

blessings surround

Wednesday, July 9, 2014 (8:45 a.m.)

Most Holy God,

How I thank You for the blessings with which You continuously surround us. I confess, far too often I don't take note of them as gratefully and thankfully as I believe You would have me do. Oh, but the moment I truly notice one I become all the more ready to celebrate the Truth. Your blessings surround us!

Psalm 5 even speaks to this. David wrote this hymn of praise to You. It begins with a notation. “For the choir director: ...to be accompanied by the flute.” My mind, heart and soul find joy at the thought of hearing Your Truth either read or sung along with the light melodic strains of a flute.

Mm. Joy. Hope. Truth. You.

Reading THE BOTTOM LINE in The Life Recovery Bible I see the PURPOSE of the Psalms is “To demonstrate that God is holy and loving and intimately involved in every aspect of our human experience.” All that AND set to music! Thank You Father.

Thank You that as I read more of the introduction to this collection I “find that the psalms may be read at many different levels, depending on the problems we face.” They can deter and help keep us out of trouble.

Thank You for the various people You used over hundreds of years to write out Your intent of helping to guide us “through our problems, as reminders of the One who actually delivers us”. Thank You that You've provided us these “beacons of hope to encourage us in perplexing or painful situations.”

The capacity of my heart seems to expand as I consider the Truth we find in believing that “Through the psalms we share in the hopes and failures of the entire human race. Yet as we read them, we are ushered into the very presence of our loving and merciful God.”

Father, it is ONLY when we stop focusing on the problems we have in this world and pay attention to You and Your mighty power that we are free to hope. In You.

The Life Recovery comment for Psalm 5:1-7 says, “When we trust God for help in our moment-by-moment walk of obedience, His wall of protection surrounds us wherever we go and whatever we do.”

Psalm 5:12 promises, “You, O Eternal, are the One who lays all good things in the laps of the right-hearted. Your blessings surround them like a shield” The Voice.

It is Your surrounding blessings I pray upon each of us in such desperate need of Your protection. It is the very prayer of my heart that we would ultimately choose to glorify and enjoy You forever. Truly loving You with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength (Mark 12:30).

Lead me, teach me, change me into the woman You designed me to be. I love You Father. Deeply. Profoundly. And I long to hear and obey You. Thank You for loving me so completely. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(503 words ~ 10:09 a.m.)

 

prayer and surrender

Tuesday, July 8, 2014 (6:55 a.m.)

Holy Father God,

Thank You! Thank You for the word potential: “having or showing the capacity to become or develop something in the future”.

Two days have been spent working together as a team around here. Communicating quite a bit better. Dancing as one on the patio even took place right in the middle of weed pulling.

How did this come about? Prayer and surrender to You.

Thank You for reminding me just there of the very moment I slipped right back into “me” mode yesterday. All was good. Work; hard and almost finished. A statement, followed by a question. A reply. Another statement. And hurt feelings abounded.

Why is that Lord? One moment all is well and the next, CRASH! Ow. Hurt. Pain. Carelessly spoken words can hurt so much! Mm, yes. But I also had the opportunity to witness how well carefully chosen ones can lead to healing.

I saw with my very own eyes how negative self talk can severely impede progress. I watched as the words “I am working hard to overcome my lifelong fear of the water” empowered a fearful reluctant swimmer back into the free and confident lover of water she had become just weeks ago. Before she fell back into the trap of hearing herself repeatedly say, “I am afraid of the water.”

Father, I'm reading Paul's first letter to Timothy and am reminded again of Your transforming power. You took Saul of Tarsus and turned him into “one of the most dynamic leaders of the early Christian church” (Life Recovery Bible insights 1Timothy 1:12-17).

You are well aware of each of our potentials. How I ask that You would empower and embolden me to use mine well this day. Let the words I choose [to think as well as to speak] to be powerfully affirming. Remind me of the absolute importance of prayer and surrender to You in even the most basic circumstance.

Father, I love You. I need You. And I thank You. Keep me close to You in all of my heart, soul, mind and strength. Teach me how to love You as I ought. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(367 words ~ 8:07 a.m.)

"trust and obey"

Sunday, July 6, 2014 (8:11 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

I am here. Not working up to my potential. What does that look like to You?

Really? Am I supposed to continue the reading in Joshua that I began yesterday? Joshua. A brilliant military leader. And a strong, stable spiritual influence.

What would that be like? To truly know and follow Your commands. To fully esteem and revere You. To live each moment in the sheer knowledge that Your promises are attained by our obedience to Your lead.

I confess to You Father, my mind gets twisted. I think I know what You want from us. I start out all gung-ho, believing I'm doing as You wish. I become excited, work hard and ultimately fizzle under doubt and disappointment.

You know Your best for us. What a blessing it is to believe this! Father, thank You for accepting us with all our faults and foibles. Thank You for continuing to be our strength and perfection, especially in our times of neediness.

I keep making mistakes. I misplace my hope. Misuse my energy. And even here You remind me of Your greater Truth. I read of Joshua's faithful obedience to You and remember another song. Joshua trusted and obeyed You.

You led and provided for Your people and still they lacked faith and courage. Joshua trusted and obeyed. Thank You for his example.

Thank You that I get to read of others who “had high hopes for a promising life – before those hopes were dashed” (The Life Recovery Bible Serenity Prayer Devotional Joshua 1:1-9). Thank You for the knowledge that “through the crazy and chaotic circumstances of growing up” others “learned to settle for a life that was far less than what we had once hoped for.”

It is in this knowledge that I am not alone in my thinking and feeling that I glean hope from Your promises. You promised Joshua that You would be with him. You would not give up on on him. You would not leave him.

And what was he to do? “Trust and obey”. Moses had given him Your laws. He was not to turn away from them.

You told him to “ponder and meditate on it [this Book of The Revelation] day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take” (Joshua 1:7-9).

Father, You know me. And still You love me. Use me as only You can this day. Make me into all You would have me be. Empower and embolden me to truly trust and obey You.

Encourage me “that regardless of our own past failures and those of our family, we can start again. We can find our way out of the chaos of the wilderness into the Promised Land of productive and healthy living” (devotional mentioned above).

I love You Father. I trust You. Teach me to obey You. Thank You. I love You. Amen.

(516 words ~ 9:20 a.m.)

quiet joy

Saturday, July 5, 2014 (8:02 a.m.)

Blessed, Holy, Father God,

Thank You!

Several days of not feeling well have allowed my mind to shift. Emotions have leveled out. There's a true sense of peace and calm where angst had recently been. A quiet joy, if You will.

Mm. Quiet joy. I like the sound of that.

Father, how I thank You for the hope that comes with each new day. Hope that is based on Your Word. Your Truth. Your love.

Thank You that even in the thinking of these thoughts a comforting hymn gently started singing itself. ♫My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness... On Christ the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand...♫

Blessed Father how I thank You for the way You shift my thinking. Much earlier I fell into the “how will I change...?” way of thinking. I want different. Better uses of our time. And once again I was sure that it was up to me to enact those changes. NOT!

YOU reminded me that it's never by me redoubling my efforts that I am going to accomplish the deeply seeded changes that need to take place in our every day lives. “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6b).

Comforting Father God, YOU are far more aware than we could ever be of all that needs to take place in our hearts, souls, minds and strength for us to be able to love You as Jesus deemed the first and greatest commandment of all (Matthew 12:37). YOU are the Source of all change that needs to take place in and around us!

I get to look into Your Word. I am blessed by the number of times I am told to “fear not”. “Do not be afraid.” Right here I confess to the number of times that I absolutely forget these teachings. I jump headlong right in to despair. Forgive me Father. Truly. I WANT to know better!

I look up the word COMFORT in The Life Recovery Bible's topical index. It tells me, “(see also Holy Spirit, Peace)”. Having followed Your lead to come sit outside with You this morning, I am indeed doing just that. The peace I am experiencing truly comes only from Your blessed Holy Spirit. Thank You Father.

So many things are now in need of our attention around here that I absolutely have no idea where to begin. Truly Father, I have allowed so much to get by me that I am so deeply in over my head that I cannot possibly work myself back up to the surface.

That is what is truly so cool about this morning! Absolutely nothing has changed, except my attitude! I know that it is indeed YOU who is in charge here. It's YOU who holds the key to what we ought to do next. YOU who will provide us every ounce of strength and power and wisdom necessary to work and build together.

Thank You Father. 

Psalm 30:5

Tuesday, July 1, 2014 (7:04 a.m.)

Blessed Father,

It's another new month. Yesterday I was planning to thank You for joy that comes in the morning. Thank You that I still can.

Thank You for keeping me company in times of sleeplessness. Thank You that in the darkness of the earliest morning hours I remembered “joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5b).

I found great comfort in considering all You do for us. When my mind started making lists of all there was to do and how much I needed more rest, the thought of joy coming in the morning helped me lay it all aside. Father, how I thank You.

I have fallen back into the trap of being my own worse enemy. While not being quite as unmerciful to myself as I am capable, I continue looking harder at the flaws than the attributes. Forgive me I pray.

King David sang a song of praise to You at the dedication of the Temple. He praised You for rescuing him. Acknowledged You for restoring his health, bringing him up from the grave and keeping him from falling into the pit of death. How I thank You for his words.

The Message says he gave you all the credit for getting him out of “that mess” and not letting his foes gloat. He yelled for help and You put him together. He encouraged his listeners to “Sing your hearts out to God! Thank Him to His face! He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love” (Psalm 30:1-5a).

Your Word provides such comfort. There truly is joy to be found when we look for it. Thank You for the reminders You make available to us. Even the various ways of reading the end of this verse cause me to smile.

“At even remaineth weeping, and at morn singing” (Young's Literal Translation).

“Weeping shall dwell at eventide; and gladness at the morrowtide” (Wycliffe Bible).

“The deepest pains may linger through the night, but joy greets the soul with the smile of morning” (The Voice).

“Crying may last for a night, but joy comes with the new day” (New Life Version).

“One may experience sorrow during the night, but joy arrives in the morning” (New English Translation).

“The nights of crying your eyes out give ways to days of laughter” (The Message).

“Weeping may go on all night, but in the morning there is joy” (The Living Bible).

“Weeping lodges for the evening, but in the morning comes rejoicing” (Lexham English Bible).

“Weeping may spend the night, but there is joy in the morning” (Holman Christian Standard Bible).

“Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning” (Good News Translation).

“Crying may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Expanded Bible).

“The night may be filled with tears, but in the morning we can sing for joy!” (Easy-to-Read Version).

“At night we may cry, but when morning comes we will celebrate” (Contemporary English Version).

“Weeping may stay all night, but by morning, joy!” (Common English Bible).

How I thank You for the many different ways Your Truth is presented for our embracing. Father, thank You that You take such tender continuous care of us.

I ask that You work in and through me to use Your joy well this day. Do all You must that I would truly glorify and enjoy You forever.

Thank You for Your loving kindness and Your tender mercies. I love You. I thank You. Amen.

(602 words ~ 8:29 a.m.)