Hope for Our Nation

14 Tuesday Jan 2025

Tags

faith, God, hope, king, lament, mighty deeds, nation, Prayer, Reflection, restoration, salvation, signs, trust, uncertainty

Reading: Psalm 74:9-17
We are given no signs from God;
no prophets are left,
and none of us knows how long this will be.
How long will the enemy mock you, God?
Will the foe revile your name forever?
Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!
But God is my King from long ago;
he brings salvation on the earth.
It was you who split open the sea by your power;
you broke the heads of the monster in the waters.
It was you who crushed the heads of Leviathan
and gave it as food to the creatures of the desert.
It was you who opened up springs and streams;
you dried up the ever-flowing rivers.
The day is yours, and yours also the night;
you established the sun and moon.
It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth;
you made both summer and winter (NIV). *

silence

Reflection
Do you watch for road signs? I’m inclined to say yes, of course I do. But if I am traveling through a familiar neighborhood or to a familiar location, I pay very little attention to road signs. After all, I know where I am going and how to get there. But put me in unfamiliar territory without a GPS, and the situation changes dramatically. I am hunting for road signs like a sharp-eyed hawk hunts for field mice. Every sign is spotted well in advance; the details are read and repeated to cement them into my memory. Landmarks and the appearance of the terrain are memorized for future reference. I do all this because I don’t like being lost.

In our reading from Psalm 74, the psalmist finds himself in unfamiliar territory. The nation has been invaded and the enemy has desecrated the temple. This is an enormous loss. But beyond the loss, there appears to be no way forward. The psalmist laments, “We are given no signs from God; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be. How long will the enemy mock you, God?” (v. 9-10)

When I am lost, I watch for signs. But in this situation God gave no signs. After the psalmist pours out his complaint before God, he does not stay there. He goes on to recall the miraculous works of God. He reminds God of His interventions into the affairs of humankind. He makes this bold personal declaration, “But God is my King from long ago; he brings salvation on the earth” (v. 12).

As we pray for our nation, we would do well to pattern our prayers on Psalm 74.

Response: LORD God, you see the sins of our nation. Bring us back to you. You are the Almighty God. You do not change. Bring your salvation on the earth even as you did long ago. You are my King. Amen.

Your Turn: Is it helpful to recall God’s mighty deeds in your life? Will our nation return to God?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

New from David Kitz
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Turning Back to God in Times of Desolation

13 Monday Jan 2025

Posted by adeyemiasaba1 in Psalms

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Tags

destruction, faith, lament, Prayer, Psalm, Reflection, renewal, repentance, revival, sanctuaries

Reading: Psalm 74:1-8
A maskil of Asaph.
O God, why have you rejected us forever?
Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
Remember the nation you purchased long ago,
the people of your inheritance, whom you redeemed—
Mount Zion, where you dwelt.
Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins,
all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.
Your foes roared in the place where you met with us;
they set up their standards as signs.
They behaved like men wielding axes
to cut through a thicket of trees.
They smashed all the carved paneling
with their axes and hatchets.
They burned your sanctuary to the ground;
they defiled the dwelling place of your Name.
They said in their hearts, “We will crush them completely!”
They burned every place where God was worshiped in the land (NIV). *

metin-ozer-wYBlsg079Go-unsplash

Reflection
This is a psalm born in a time of disaster and distress. The enemies of the people of God had triumphed. Psalm 74 begins as a lament as the psalmist calls out to God with these words. “Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins, all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary” (v. 3).

Foreign armies had invaded the land. Not only had they attacked the people of God, but they also desecrated God’s sanctuary. “They burned your sanctuary to the ground; they defiled the dwelling place of your Name” (v. 7).

It may be hard for many of us to imagine the destruction of war and the invasion of our country by foreign forces. But on the spiritual level our land has already been invaded and the attacks on the sanctuaries of God are unrelenting.

Take a walk or a drive about any large city in Canada and you will see abandoned church buildings. Some have been turned into concert halls or night clubs. Today this statement describes our present reality. “Your foes roared in the place where you met with us; they set up their standards as signs” (v. 4).

Sadly, in many places the standard of the cross has been replaced by standards of hedonism and human pride. This would be easier to fathom if this was the work of some sinister foreign power, but, our own people have turned their backs on God and have instead embraced the gods of this world. God have mercy on our land.

Response: LORD God, help us to become agents of change in our land. We want people throughout this country to turn to you in repentance and faith. Open their eyes to their need and your reality. Amen.

Your Turn: What will it take to awaken your nation to God? What conditions bring about renewal?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
TheElishaCodeCVR5

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You Led Your People

12 Sunday Jan 2025

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 77, Psalms

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Tags

Aaron, God, God's guidance, miracles, Moses, praise the LORD, Prayer, Psalms

I will praise the LORD!

Photo by David Kitz

Psalm 77

Your ways, God, are holy.
    What god is as great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles;
    you display your power among the peoples.
With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
   The waters saw you, God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
The clouds poured down water,
the heavens resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.

You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
(Psalm 77:13-20, NIV) *

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

A gripping read from David Kitz.

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

I Will Remember the Deeds of the LORD

11 Saturday Jan 2025

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 77, Psalms

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Tags

compassion, God, merciful, miracles, Prayer, Psalms, remembering, the LORD, trust in God

I will praise the LORD!

Psalm 77

For the director of music. For Jeduthun.
Of Asaph. A psalm.

I cried out to God for help;
    I cried out to God to hear me.
When I was in distress, I sought the LORD;
    at night I stretched out untiring hands,
    and I would not be comforted.
I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
    I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.
You kept my eyes from closing;
    I was too troubled to speak.
I thought about the former days,
    the years of long ago;
I remembered my songs in the night.
    My heart meditated and my spirit asked:
“Will the LORD reject forever?
    Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
    Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
    Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
    the years when the Most High stretched out
his right hand.
I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
    yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
    and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
(Psalm 77:1-12, NIV) *

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to begin the new year, and daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

A gripping read from David Kitz.

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

Come Near to God

10 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 73, Psalms

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drawing near to God, God, humble, Prayer, Psalms, right perspective, the devil, the LORD

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 73:21-28

LORD God,
I want to have your perspective.
I want to see as you see.
Set my thoughts on the right path.
Remind me to take time to be with you.
“But as for me,
it is good to be near God” (Psalm 73:28).
Amen.

— — —

Submit yourselves, then, to God.
Resist the devil,
and he will flee from you.
Come near to God
and he will come near to you.
Wash your hands, you sinners,
and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Grieve, mourn and wail.
Change your laughter to mourning
and your joy to gloom.
Humble yourselves before the Lord,
and he will lift you up.
(James 4:7-10)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
Winner of the 2024 Word Award of Merit in Biblical Studies

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Trusting God’s Ways

10 Friday Jan 2025

Posted by adeyemiasaba1 in Psalms

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Tags

confession, devotion, faith, God, humility, love, perspective, priorities, Psalms, Reflection, strength, trust, worship

Reading: Psalm 73:21-28
When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.
Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds (NIV). *

Continue reading →

Seeing Through God’s Eyes

09 Thursday Jan 2025

Posted by adeyemiasaba1 in Psalms

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Tags

envy, eternity, faith, God, Prayer, Psalm, Reflection, sanctuary, wealth, wisdom

Reading: Psalm 73:12-20
This is what the wicked are like—
always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply
till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.
How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!
They are like a dream when one awakes;
when you arise, Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies (NIV). *

Seeing-Others-through-Gods-Eyes

Reflection
Psalm 73 is all about the envy we often experience when we look at the lives of the rich and famous. We live in a world of glitz and glamor. Glitz and glamor are pumped at us relentlessly through various forms of media. The common man or woman is just an insignificant nobody in light of the celebrity culture that pervades our society.

I find it fascinating that a psalm written more than 2,500 years ago is so relevant for us who live in the twenty-first century. The psalmist laments, “This is what the wicked are like—always free of care, they go on amassing wealth” (v. 12).

But there is a turning point in this psalm. The light of understanding comes on for the psalmist; the truth dawns on him. “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny” (v. 16-17).

Understanding comes in God’s sanctuary. When we enter that holy place, the Lord can give us His perspective. We can see as He sees. A man’s arrogant boasting is exposed for what it is—a breath of hot air. There is no permanence to human wealth or achievement. In the eons of time, all is swept away. Only what is built on the Christ the solid rock will endure for eternity. True value, true worth and permanence are found in our union with God in His sanctuary—in His sacred place. I pray you and I will be found there.

Response: LORD God, bring me to your sanctuary. Help me to enter into communion with you. Help me discern what is of real value in a world filled with idols and shams. Give me your understanding. Amen.

Your Turn: How do you enter God’s sanctuary? Does your heart need to be prepared?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
TheElishaCodeCVR5

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Take Life Easy?

08 Wednesday Jan 2025

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 73, Psalms

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Tags

affections, envy, God, harvest, Jesus, parable, Prayer, Psalms, rich

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 73:1-11

LORD God,
help me to tend to the garden of my own heart.
When envy raises its head,
help me to decapitate that thought.
I fix my affections on you
and not the things of this world.
Amen.

— — —

And he [Jesus] told them this parable:
“The ground of a certain rich man
yielded an abundant harvest.
He thought to himself,
‘What shall I do?
I have no place to store my crops.’

“Then he said,
‘This is what I’ll do.
I will tear down my barns
and build bigger ones,
and there I will store my surplus grain.
And I’ll say to myself,
“You have plenty of grain laid up for many years.
Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

“But God said to him,
‘You fool! This very night
your life will be demanded from you.
Then who will get
what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be
with whoever stores up things for themselves
but is not rich toward God.”
(Luke 12:16-21)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
Winner of the 2024 Word Award of Merit in Biblical Studies

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Guarding Your Heart Against Envy

08 Wednesday Jan 2025

Posted by adeyemiasaba1 in Psalms

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Tags

covetousness, envy, faith, God, Heart, justice, Prayer, Psalm73, Reflection, trust

Reading: Psalm 73:1-11
A psalm of Asaph
Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.
For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
They are free from common human burdens;
they are not plagued by human ills.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.
From their callous hearts comes iniquity;
their evil imaginations have no limits.
They scoff, and speak with malice;
with arrogance they threaten oppression.
Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.
Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance.
They say, “How would God know?
Does the Most High know anything?” (NIV)

heart

Reflection
The last of the Ten Commandments warns us against the sin of covetousness. In one important respect this commandment is different from the other nine. Covetousness or envy is a sin of the mind. It is theft in germ form. It is the seed thought of adultery. Envy is the precondition of a sinful act, not the act itself.

Here in Psalm 73 the psalmist catches himself on a slippery slope leading to a more serious sin. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked (v. 2-3).

I certainly can identify with the psalmist. I think we all have had moments when we thought in our hearts that God is not fair. Why is that person prospering when I am not? To the best of my abilities, I am doing everything right—by the book—yet the road is hard, and the rewards are meagre. Meanwhile, arrogant unbelievers are prospering—seemingly blessed by God. Where is the justice in that?

The root issue here is envy—our envy. God is not accountable to us; we are accountable to Him. Our hearts need tending, not God’s heart. In His time and His way God will deal with the arrogant and evil person. It’s my responsibility to deal with my thoughts and the attitude of my heart.

Response: LORD God, help me to tend to the garden of my own heart. When envy raises its head, help me to decapitate that thought. I fix my affections on you and not the things of this world. Amen.

Your Turn: Do you have moments of envy? What works for you in countering such thoughts?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
TheElishaCodeCVR5

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Bless and Do Not Curse

07 Tuesday Jan 2025

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 72, Psalms

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bless, blessings, generosity, generous, Jesus, peace, Prayer, Psalms, rejoice

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 72:12-20

LORD God,
help me to see my many blessings
as gifts from you.
Show me today
how I can be a blessing to others.
You are my source of life and every blessing.
Lord Jesus,
give me a generous spirit like you have.
Amen.

— — —

Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse.
Rejoice with those who rejoice;
mourn with those who mourn.
Live in harmony with one another.
Do not be proud,
but be willing to associate with people
of low position.
Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
Be careful to do what is right
in the eyes of everyone.
If it is possible,
as far as it depends on you,
live at peace with everyone.
(Romans 12:14-18)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

New from David Kitz
Winner of the 2024 Word Award of Merit in Biblical Studies

To purchase or for a closer look click here.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Psalm 77

You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron. (Psalm 77:13-20, NIV) *

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine!

I will praise the LORD!

Psalm 77

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A psalm.

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.” (Psalm 77:1-12, NIV) *

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 73:21-28 LORD God, I want to have your perspective. I want to see as you see. Set my thoughts on the right path. Remind me to take time to be with you. “But as for me, it is good to be near God” (Psalm 73:28). Amen.

— — —

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from “Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer” by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 73:1-11 LORD God, help me to tend to the garden of my own heart. When envy raises its head, help me to decapitate that thought. I fix my affections on you and not the things of this world. Amen.

— — —

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:16-21)*

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Today’s quote and prayer from“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 72:12-20LORD God,help me to see my many blessingsas gifts from you. Show me today how I can be a blessing to others. You are my source of life and every blessing. Lord Jesus, give me a generous spirit like you have.Amen.

— — —

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
(Psalm 77:13-20, NIV) *

For the director of music. For Jeduthun.
Of Asaph. A psalm.

Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out
his right hand.
I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
(Psalm 77:1-12, NIV) *

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 73:21-28

LORD God,
I want to have your perspective.
I want to see as you see.
Set my thoughts on the right path.
Remind me to take time to be with you.
“But as for me,
it is good to be near God” (Psalm 73:28).
Amen.

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 73:1-11

LORD God,
help me to tend to the garden of my own heart.
When envy raises its head,
help me to decapitate that thought.
I fix my affections on you
and not the things of this world.
Amen.

“But God said to him,
‘You fool! This very night
your life will be demanded from you.
Then who will get
what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be
with whoever stores up things for themselves
but is not rich toward God.”
(Luke 12:16-21)*

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 72:12-20

LORD God,
help me to see my many blessings
as gifts from you.
Show me today
how I can be a blessing to others.
You are my source of life and every blessing.
Lord Jesus,
give me a generous spirit like you have.
Amen.