The Upper Room Daily Devotional of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Prayer Changed Me" for Wednesday, 27 September 2017 - Read Psalm 145:8-21

The Upper Room Daily Devotional of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Prayer Changed Me" for Wednesday, 27 September 2017 - Read Psalm 145:8-21
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Psalm 145:8 Adonai is merciful and compassionate,
slow to anger and great in grace.
9 Adonai is good to all;
his compassion rests on all his creatures.
10 All your creatures will thank you, Adonai,
and your faithful servants will bless you.
11 They will speak of the glory of your kingship,
and they will tell about your might;
12 to let everyone know of your mighty acts
and the glorious majesty of your kingship.
13 Your kingship is an everlasting kingship,
your reign continues through all generations.
14 Adonai supports all who fall
and lifts up all who are bent over.
15 The eyes of all are looking to you;
you give them their food at the right time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 Adonai is righteous in all his ways,
full of grace in all he does.
18 Adonai is close to all who call on him,
to all who sincerely call on him.
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 Adonai protects all who love him,
but all the wicked he destroys.
21 My mouth will proclaim the praise of Adonai;
all people will bless his holy name forever and ever.
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The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:18 (NRSV))
The caption read, “Even your eggs are happy when you start your day with prayer.” The picture showed a carton of eggs with happy, smiling faces. It caught my attention and made me realize how prayer changes us.
Too often when I pray, I give God a to-do list. Or I rush through my prayer time with empty words. Genuine prayer comes from the heart, with words that show our love, respect, and praise for our savior. Prayer involves both speaking and listening. As we learn to listen to God, we gain a clearer understanding of scripture. Prayer can deepen our relationship with God in many ways.
My prayer today may not change my immediate painful circumstances, but it can change my outlook, in much the same way that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Rom. 5:3-4). Beginning each day with God can bring spiritual change to our lives and be so refreshing that it puts a smile on our face.
Read more from the author, here.
More from Kenn Edwards
Prayer Changed Me
Why do we pray? To ask God for help? Or to deepen our relationship with God?
It’s Friday afternoon. One of your best friends calls to ask a favor. They found themselves in another difficult situation. As they explain their plight, you begin asking yourself, “Is this friendship based only upon my assistance with their ongoing circumstances?”
Sometimes our prayer sounds like the relationship with this friend; we are always in need of something. God desires more—a relationship with us. God loves us and wants to hear our voice. Yet we often forget, God already knows everything that we need.
I think prayer time should be interactive. It could include praise and adoration, songs of worship, reciting scripture, and even listening for God’s still, small voice. Naturally we should lift up the needs of our family and friends, but over time our relationship with our Heavenly Father should deepen because of our prayer life.
Learning to walk with God builds our spiritual legacy. In my recent book, My Footprint For God, there are many ideas for how we can draw closer to God and have a greater impact on this world for Christ. Spending time with God is one of those ways.
Like bacon and eggs in the morning, our time with God can become so refreshing that it will put a smile on our face too! (Kenn Edwards, To learn more about Kenn’s book, My Footprint For God, or schedule an event, check-out his website: www.FootPrintForGod.com)
The Author: Kenn Edwards (New Mexico, USA)
Thought for the Day: Prayer deepens our relationship with God.
Prayer: Dear God, may your joy fill our lives today. Amen.
Prayer focus: Someone struggling to pray
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