OUR DAILY BREAD : LOVE AND PRAYER

[cimi]

June 29
Saturday


LOVE AND PRAYER

READ:
Psalm 92
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They shall still bear
fruit in old age; they
shall be fresh and
flourishing.
__Psalm 92:14
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In a popular children's book, Winnie the Pooh watches Kanga bound away. I wish I could jump like that, he thinks. Some can and some can't. That's how it is.

We see younger or more able men and women doing extraordinary things that we cannot do. They can; we can't. That's how it is. It's easy to feel useless when we can't do the things we were once capable of doing.

It's true that we may not be able to "jump" like we once did, but we can love and we can pray. These are the works that time and experience have prepared us to do well.

Love is the very best gift we have to give to God and to others. It is no small matter, for love is the means by which we fulfill our whole duty to God and our neighbor. Our love for one person may seem to be a small action, but love is the greatest gift of all (1 Cor. 13:13).

And we can pray. Paul encouraged the Colossians to "continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving" (Col. 4:2). Our prayers are a powerful force in the universe!

Love and prayer are mighty works indeed, the mightiest works for any of us. Why? Because our God, who wants to use us, is an all-loving and all-powerful God. __David Roper

``````````````````Begin the day with God;``````````````````
``````````````Kneel down to Him in prayer;``````````````````
``````````````Lift up thy heart to His abode,`````````````````
````````````And seek His love to share. __Dann``````````````
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God pours His love into our hearts
that it might flow out to others.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 92************************

1 It is good to give thanks
to the LORD, and to sing
praises to Your name,
O Most High; 2 to declare
Your lovingkindness in
the morning, and Your
faithfulness every night, 3 on
an instrument of ten strings,
on the lute, and on the harp,
with harmonious sound.

4 For You, LORD, have
made me glad through Your
work; I will triumph in the
works of Your hands.

5 O LORD, how great are
Your works! Your thoughts
are very deep. 6 A senseless
man does not know, nor
does a fool understand this.

7 When the wicked spring up
like grass, and when all the
workers of iniquity flourish,
it is that they may be
destroyed forever.

8 But You, LORD, are on
high forevermore. 9 For
behold, Your enemies,
O LORD, for behold, Your
enemies shall perish; all the
workers of iniquity shall be
scattered.

10 But my horn You have
exalted like a wild ox; I
have been anointed with
fresh oil. 11 My eye also has
seen my desire on my
enemies; my ears hear my
desire on the wicked who
rise up against me.

12 The righteous shall
flourish like a palm tree, he
shall grow like a cedar in
Lebanon. 13 Those who are
planted in the house of the
LORD shall flourish in the
courts of our God. 14 They
shall still bear fruit in old
age; they shall be fresh and
flourishing, 15 to declare that
the LORD is upright; He is
my rock, and there is no
unrighteousness in Him.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The psalmist used the metaphors of "grass" (v.7) and a "palm tree"
and "cedar in Lebanon" (v.12) to contrast the destinies of the wicked
and the righteous. The prosperity of the wicked is shortlived (v.7);
while the righteous, full of vitality, are fruitful (vv.14-15).