Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Fifty Two The End Result Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “We are not called to be holy to unlock a toy store full of blessings; we are called to holiness to share God’s goodness with others and to spread the Gospel of Christ.” What is the point of knowing love and showing love without a true and intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ? When I first published Pray While You’re Prey, I sent a copy to a friend of mine. She wrote me back that she thought the book was good even for non-Christians. The conversation was one I will never forget because that was the day that I found out that a young woman who had been like a sister to me had “fallen in love” with someone who convinced her that Jesus was not who the Bible says He is. She no longer believed in the very Person that had caused us to have an almost decade-long bond. I was crushed and devastated because that was the beginning of the loss of that friendship, but not only that, I could not understand how anyone who claims to love a person could lead them away from the love of God. I did not write a book to tell people how to date and have good relationships. The book and this devotion series are not some sort of how-to manual for finding a mate. If anyone believes that, he or she has completely missed the point. These are testimonies of how God has shown me, in times of obedience and disobedience, that He is God. This is about how no love surpasses His love because He is love. This is about dealing with our human emotions in a Godly manner that results in the uplifting of the Kingdom. I hope that people who are unsaved read this book and devotion series, but not like they would read “The Rules,” or “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man,” or “He’s Just Not That into You,” or any other dating/relationship advice book. This book and devotion series is about handling our lives on Earth and our interactions with people of the opposite sex in a way that is pleasing to God. It is about recognizing that no matter what your relationship status happens to be, loving God should be your first priority. This time that we have right now on Earth may be filled with love of family, friends, and even, a significant other or spouse. But, the love of another human being pales in comparison to love that those who confess Christ as their Savior, the one and only Son of God will receive forever and ever. There is no other relationship that will help us to stand blameless before God on the Day of Judgment than a relationship where God can see us through the blood of Christ. That relationship is the important one. Any other relationship, as long as it is a Godly one, is fine, but we cannot forget what our life is all about. The purpose for our lives is the praise and to please God; to live holy and righteously as a testimony to those who may never read a Bible, but will read our lives. We must set an example of how to love one another and keep God as our first love. This is the ultimate courtship. What we do with the time God gives us on Earth shows Him and those who observe us just how real He is in our lives and how much we love Him. We need to pray that we make the most of our relationship with God, and, if it is His will for us to find or be found by a spouse, that we love that person the way God loves us. Because, there will come a day when the courtship will end and the Church, the Bride of Christ, will be with Him forever. And, I cannot speak for anyone else, but I want the end result of my earthly life to be the beginning of my eternal life as a servant with whom God was pleased. Prayer Thank You, God for promising to love us forever. Please forgive me for living as if the things of this world are all that matter. Lord, please help me to always love You first regardless what my relationship status happens to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated.
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Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Fifty One Plugged In, Not Charging Scripture: Deuteronomy 10:12-13 So now Israel, what do you think God expects from you? Just this: Live in his presence in holy reverence, follow the road he sets out for you, love him, serve God, your God, with everything you have in you, obey the commandments and regulations of God that I'm commanding you today—live a good life. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “With or without a mate, I can live a full life that is pleasing to God, and I will be rewarded.” I turned on my laptop the other day and I noticed that, even though it had been plugged in all night, the battery was nearly dead. I restarted the computer and got a message that my charger was not compatible with the battery. However, I was still able to use the laptop because the AC adapter was working; it just wasn’t charging the battery. Part of the convenience of the laptop is that you charge the battery and then you don’t have to be connected to a wall at all times, you can move about as you please. I didn’t have anywhere in particular to go, but it was annoying to me that this charger that had been working perfectly fine for at least the past six months was all of a sudden defunct. So, I googled what the computer said was the issue, “plugged in, not charging.” Apparently, this is a common problem. I found a couple of YouTube videos and computer forums with possible fixes, and went to the computer’s website, but to no avail. The icon still says, “plugged in, not charging.” This has been going on for a few days, but on this day, it hit me that this is exactly how I feel sometimes with my relationship with Christ. I feel like I am plugged in and not charging. In other words, I know that Christ and I are connected, but I feel stagnant in my life. I feel like I am not moving forward with Him. I feel drained. Yes, I go to church. I worship sincerely. I read my Bible daily. I read devotions. I pray. I try to live a life that is pleasing to God. I am not trying to sound like the Pharisee that was praying in the New Testament. I am just wondering if there is anyone else that has felt plugged in, yet still empty. You feel like you are doing everything that you know to do. You are seeking God to find out what else you need to do. Why are you stuck in this place? Why can’t you move into the next phase of your life? Well, as I continued to troubleshoot the laptop/battery/charger issue, I noticed a common theme with this problem. The issue generally happened when using a universal charger; that is to say, a charger that is compatible with many different types of computers, but not specifically made for your particular model. That is what I have because it was less expensive than ordering a new part from the company where I bought my computer. And, as I read through several pages that said, “Don’t use a universal charger,” I had an epiphany. Maybe I feel like I am plugged in, but not charging because I am using a universal standard with which to measure my life rather that the standard of the original Source of my life. So many times, we get caught up in what the world says our lives should be. And, although we pray and praise, we feel like something is being held back from us. We are plugged in with universal chargers and we are not charging. Instead, we must rely on God; live in His presence, with holy reverence. We must realize that there is no universal formula for each of our lives. Rather, God has a unique and individual plan for each and every one of us to live a good life; a full life. And, what is more, for those who believe in Him and accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, that life never ends. It will continue throughout eternity. There is nothing that God is holding back from us, that is literally the oldest trick in the Book (see devil vs. Eve in Genesis). I still probably need a new charger or a new laptop, but I definitely don’t need anything that God has not already given me. We must trust in His plan for our lives, so that we do not find ourselves plugged in, but not charging. Prayer Thank You, God for providing me with every opportunity to have a full life on Earth and in Heaven. Please forgive me for thinking that You are holding anything back from me. Lord, please help me to not just be plugged in to You, but recharged daily by Your Word, Your guidance and Your grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Fifty What is Love? Scripture: 1 John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “I realize that I have to know and love all that is good about me in order to attract people who are good for me.” It is an age-old question…what is love? What does love mean? What does it mean to love someone? What does is meant o be in love? There have been songs and sonnets, poems and prose written on the subject of finding the true meaning of love. People search their whole entire lives trying to know love, show love, and be loved by someone. Many times, love is viewed as some ever-elusive fantasy that is simply unattainable. Often times, love is equated with a person with whom one shares an intimate relationship. But, the true meaning of love is not found in the dictionary or by some life quest for it; the meaning is found in the instruction manual for life: the Bible. Perhaps, we ask the wrong questions. Maybe we should not ask, “What is love?” but rather, “Who is Love?” You see, the Bible explains that God is love. It is that simple, yet we make it so complex. Because we know that God is love, we need to love no further than His character to know all about love. Love is a verb, not a noun; it requires action. Love is sacrifice. Love is putting others’ needs before yours. Love is forgiveness. Love is kindness. Love is patience and endurance. And, how do I know that this is love? Because God is love and He does all of these things towards me and all of His children. In many of the secular songs about love, love is either equated to sex or being hurt. That is not God’s love. That is the world’s love. The adage “You always hurt the ones you love” should not ring true for the Christian. This should not be the standard because the Bible clearly says that if you do not love you do not know God. Willingly hurting someone is not showing love. It is one thing to make a mistake, realize the mistake, repent and seek forgiveness; however, to repeatedly disregard someone’s feelings or well-being is the behavior modeled by the prince of darkness, not the Prince of Peace. On the contrary, the famous line, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry…” is also a misnomer. We are human and we will make mistakes. In order to be forgiven, we must recognize when we have treated someone badly. Sometimes, the person we need to apologize to the most to, after God, is ourselves. How can you know love and be loved if you cannot love yourself? This is not about being conceited, narcissistic, selfish or self-involved; it is about loving yourself enough to treat your whole self well. It is about embracing the awesome gifts that God has given you for the uplifting of His Kingdom. At times, we focus so much on being figuring out what love is and how to attain it that we forget the simple truth that God is love. If we live following His example, loving others, and loving ourselves, we will have a level of contentment that will allow us to accept whatever God has for our lives. Does that mean you will never get lonely? Absolutely not; nonetheless, when those times come, the Supplier of ALL of your needs is still there for you, loving you and embracing you, if you let Him. He is love, and, in His appointed time, if it is His will, you will love and be loved by someone who is worthy of who God has made you to be. Prayer Thank You, God for being the very existence of Love and for giving us so many examples of what true love is. Please forgive me for not loving myself or others the way that you have taught us to love. Lord, please help me to show and to be love so that others may see You in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Forty Nine Hold On Scripture: Psalm 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord’s Word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “…knowing what I know now, I will make sure that I move closer and closer to God to avoid past mistakes.” I know a lot of people who say that the Bible is outdated. They think that the Bible was written so long ago that it should be changed to apply to the way we live today. For me, I have come to realize that the Bible is God’s perfect, living Word. I know this because I can read the Bible, the words of which have not changed, and at different points in my life, God gives me something completely new in that passage of Scripture. It is not that the Bible that is some antiquated instrument of oppression that needs to be rewritten, it is that our hearts need to be transformed. We need to cling to God and not to this world. I will admit that it is easier said than done. Following God’s Word is not simple, but it is right. Does accepting God’s salvation and following His Word mean that life becomes sunshine and rainbows everyday? No, but it tells us this in God’s Word. Following God’s way leads to the loss of those things in our lives that are detrimental and unnecessary, but that does not make it hurt less when we lose relationships or go through suffering. However, when I start to think about whining about squeezing through the narrow gate, I think about how much more suffering Christ went through just to save my life; a worthless life that He did not need to save. Yet, His compassion was so great that He lived in a perfect way, suffered torture and died, so that I could live forever. So, what do we need to do? We need to trust God. We need to believe His Word and His promises. We need to hold on! There is a hymn that says, “Time is filled with swift transition, Naught of earth unmoved can stand, Build your hopes on things eternal, Hold to God's unchanging hand .” Yes, if you look around at the world and the people in it, it will seem like God is holding out on you. The devil has been using that lie since Adam and Eve. It seems like it is more beneficial to live the world’s way. It seems that you will have more success in life, career, and relationships if you just follow the world. It seems this way, but that is deceptive. God’s way is perfect. If we just move close to Him, and take refuge in Him, He will shield us. There will be rough times. We are human beings and we have emotions. There will be times when you feel lonely or like a failure. There will be times when it doesn’t seem like living God’s Way is worth it, but those are the times when you have to press in to Him. Continue to follow His perfect Way, continue to read His flawless Word, and continue to seek His will for your life. If you are saved, this is just the beginning of your life. There is a whole, new world after this one. You have eternity to think about and not just what this temporal life has to offer. I believe that holding on will be worth it. Prayer Thank You, God for being perfect in ALL of Your Ways. Please forgive me for trying to accomplish things in my own way. Lord, please help me to take refuge in Your loving arms, so You can shield me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Forty Eight Do Not Settle Scripture: 1 John 3:21-22 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases Him. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “…women have been so indoctrinated with the ideas that we need to get married and that a single woman is a second-class citizen that we may not realize that being a married woman is way too high on our priority list. As a result, we may make compromises during our hunt that we wouldn’t normally make, all for the sake of not being alone.” About three months ago, I received a call from the car dealership where I leased my vehicle. They said that they wanted my car back early. They said that they needed used cars like mine that were well taken care of and would make sure that I drove off in a newer car at an affordable price. I’m not sure how many of you have been to a car lot, but there is a process that they take you through. I have not really had to deal with that process because I have leased or purchased cars from a family friend since I got me very first vehicle. That family friend moved on to the a more expensive car dealership and I am not ready to upgrade with him quite yet, so I decided to go into the dealership to hear what they had to offer. At the time, my lease was not up for another seven months, so I had time to decide what I wanted to do at the end of my lease. For anyone who is not familiar with leasing a car, at the end of the lease, you can keep the car and continue to pay for it, turn it in to the dealership, or trade it in for another vehicle. My car had a little more damage than my previously leased cars, so I was merely interested to know if I would have to keep it or if the dealership would take it back. I went into the dealership, I met a salesman who seemed nice enough. I explained why I was there, that I did not have much time, that I just wanted to explore my options and that it was okay if I did not get a new car because I still have seven months to decide what to do. Well, they took my keys to “check out my car,” took me on a test drive, and then started this very long process of trying to harass me into settling for a new car with a huge increase in payment. I stood up, demanded to have my car keys, and left. This week, I got a call from the same dealership, with the same speech. I told the person on the phone that it was my intention to NEVER visit that dealership again because they treated me as if I was an idiot and held me hostage. The salesman begged me to give them another chance. So I did. I went in, I confidently told the salesman what price range would make me leave with a new car; not one penny over it. I let him know that I was not in the mood for any games or to be held hostage. Though the paperwork process seemed to take a really long time, my old car was taken back by the dealership and I drove off in a new car with the payment that I asked for and a care package at no extra cost. If I had compromised a few months ago, I would have regretted it. There was a part of me that wanted to settle just so that I did not have to deal with the decision of what to do with my car. Nevertheless, I stuck to my guns, and this time around, I demanded respect and integrity. I got what I desired and then some. For the sake of not feeling alone or not feeling like a failure, how many times do we settle? How many times do we forget that our God is greater than our circumstances and if we will wait on Him, He will fulfill our every need? How many times do we ask Him to bless us, but then ignore His commands or live a life that is not pleasing to Him? This is not a story about God blessing me with a car because I am some perfect Christian. Yes, He gets all honor and praise for my new car. Still, I know that nothing I did or ever will do merits His favor and saving grace. Yet, God is willing to allow us to not have to compromise for less than we deserve when we are confident in Him and live according to His Word. So, trust God only and do not settle. Prayer Thank You, God for being a God that hears my prayers and answers them with the best answer at the right time. Please forgive me for not believing that You will keep Your promises and settling for things of this world. Lord, please help me to hold out until my change comes. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Forty Seven Patiently Waiting Scripture: 2 Chronicles 19:11 Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “My problem with asking [God] for what I want is not being able to wait for Him to give it to me.” The other day I went to get a pedicure. I arrived and was greeted cheerfully by the owner. She and her employee were busy with clients, but she told me to have a seat in the chair and one of them would be with me or another employee would arrive. I settled into the chair, a massage chair, and just relaxed and waited. The owner, realizing that I had been sitting for a while, called the employee who was supposed to be en route to see how much longer. She kept apologizing profusely for my wait, but I told her it was fine. I just closed my eyelids and got a much needed massage. It was about forty-five minutes before the employee arrived that was supposed to do my pedicure. I only know that because the massage chair runs in fifteen-minute cycles and I had to restart it twice. There were more apologies, and then, I got one of the best, most-relaxing, beautifully-done pedicures that I have ever gotten. I even got to continue sitting in the massage chair while my toes dried. After a while, it was hard to get up, but I had to eat dinner. In that moment, I realized that waiting patiently is not all that bad. There was a time when I would have been rude about the wait. I would have kept asking when I was going to be served. I will admit that there was I time that I would not have exhibited very Christian-like behavior. However, I have been a patron of this shop for a while now and I know that the owner meant no harm, nor did her employee. She did not want to stop what she was doing and rush; she wanted me to have a good experience, so I had to wait. I chose to wait patiently. The experience ended up being rewarding, and did I mention, relaxing. As I sat to write this devotion, I realize that I only used the word “patience” once in the book, Pray While You’re Prey, I never knew that. In retrospect, I would imagine that it is because patience has been an issue for me. Waiting on God has been an issue for me. When I want something, I want it when I want it and how I want it. But God has shown me that it is best for me to wait for what He wants for me, when He wants it and how He wants it because what He wants for me surpasses every expectation of which I could ever dream. It is not easy to wait patiently. It takes faith and courage. Right now, I have students who, with good intentions, are trying to think of people for me to date. They are teenagers and thirty-six seems really old to them, so they cannot wrap their brains around the fact that I am not married and do not have any children. To be honest, it is hard for me to wrap my brain around it at times. I look at my friends who have husbands and are having babies or even watching children graduate from high school and I wonder if it will ever be my turn. Yet I know that God has an amazing plan for my life, so I have to wait on Him, not just in my singleness, but for my career moves and for everything in my life. Others may not understand why I or you do not just step out and make something happen. That is okay. Trust me, I have tried things my way and I like God’s way much better. It is not always the easy way or the fastest way, but it is the way that is worth it! Because He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. Wait patiently on God. Don’t stop living your life; just surrender your life to God and allow Him to move. Waiting patiently is an act of courage and He will be with you. Prayer Thank You, God for being a God that may delay, but does not deny my desires. Please forgive me for trying to rush You into giving me what I want. Lord, please help me to wait with expectation that I will receive Your favor for Your glory In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Forty Six Don’t Forget to Pray Scripture: James 1:5-8 (MSG) If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “I hope to learn and to teach others to PRAY...” The title of my book and this devotion series is, Pray While You’re Prey. While it may seem like much of the focus is on the second “prey,” the issue of singleness, most of the focus should be on the first “pray.” It never ceases to amaze me that God wants to communicate with me. Who am I that He is concerned about me? Who am I that He should even care? God created heaven and earth and everything in it. He hung the sun, the moon, and the stars. He gave life to plants, animals, man and woman. He is all-knowing, ever-present and all powerful. Why would He, as great as He is want to talk to a speck of dust like me? Simply, He wants to talk to me because I am His. God doesn’t want us to worship Him out of religion and routine. God wants a relationship. He wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. How can we be our true selves before God if we do not communicate with Him? God desires intimacy, authenticity, and dependency. He wants to help. But, we have to stop thinking that our issues are too small to bother God. We have to stop thinking that God is a genie meant to grant wishes. We need to start thinking about how we like those we love to communicate with us. Imagine a relationship in which the person you love only talks to you when he or she needs something. Imagine a relationship in which your significant other does not want to share the intimate details of his or her feelings. The difference is that in human relationships, we may never know what is hidden deep within, but God always knows our innermost thoughts and desires. He is just wondering why we don’t bring them to Him. Imagine a relationship where one person does all the talking and never listens. Communication is two ways. Yes, God wants to hear our thoughts, our pains, our joys, our desires, our victories, but He also wants us to listen. He wants us to come to Him boldly and believing that He and He alone has the answer. We need to not go to God worried that He won’t answer. While we might not always hear the answer we want to hear, we have to know that God’s answer is best and that there is no other option, but to follow His path. If you find yourself feeling empty, exasperated, exhausted, truly ask yourself if you have been communicating with God. Trust me, I know it is easy to run to a friend or family member with every thought or concern, but as well meaning as that person may be, we cannot forget to pray. We must keep the lines of communication open with the Loving Father who only wants our best for his glory! Prayer Thank You, God for being a God that I don’t have to be scared to talk to. Please forgive me for running to others when I need to cast my cares upon You. Lord, please help me to never be lax in my communication and relationship with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Forty Five A New Understanding Scripture: Romans 12:3 The Message The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what He does for us, not by what we are and what we do for Him.” Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “Do you believe that God is sovereign and that He has a plan for your life?” There are times when I find myself trying to figure God out. I find myself trying to make sense of what is happening in my life and trying to guess God’s next move. It is all really very silly. God has ways and thoughts that are so much higher than anything that we could ever conceive (Isaiah 55). I think to myself that if I do the right things and say the right things, then there should be certain outcomes. However, my focus is all wrong. In order to understand my life and to understand my purpose, I cannot look at what I do or say or think. I have to look at who God is and what He does for me. In the context of singleness, I have spent many years trying to figure out the right clothes to wear, the right words to say, the proper ways to flirt, so as to not upset the Father. I have tried to stay away from certain places so I do not embarrass the Father. I have tried to sing, praise and give to impress the Father. Sometimes, I do all of this, in an effort to get a mate, not to discover who God is and what He means to me. In doing so, I tell God that He is not enough for me. When I start to believe that I am who I am because of what I do, I am leaving God out of the equation. And, I know that I am not the only person who knows for a fact that there would be no me without Him. In the season of singleness, there is an opportunity for self discovery. There is a chance to understand who we are, not as a spouse or parent, not defined by our career or ministry, but defined by what God is and what He does for us. Use this time to discover, to understand to unravel, the beauty created in you by God’s grace, His mercy, His love and His favor. Allow that to satisfy your soul. Lonely times will come, but if you understand who you are in Christ, you can make it to the other side. Know that God is sovereign and He has a plan for you that is not defined by what you do for Him, but what He does for you! Prayer Thank You, God for being sovereign and for having a plan for my life. Please forgive me for trying to understand myself outside of who You are and what You have done for me. Lord, please help me to trust that You always know what is best and that my purpose is found in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Forty Four Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Scripture: Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with Me. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “There are so many people in the world who have yet to discover the wonders of God. While we sit and complain about the things that we don’t have, do we ever stop to think about how fortunate we are to have Christ?” I love to eat! I especially like to go to a nice restaurant and enjoy a delectable meal. As a singleton, that usually means that I am dining alone. There was a time when I would not eat at restaurants because I was afraid that people would stare at me or pity me because I was dining alone. So, when a new restaurant opened, I would envy every person who got to go and enjoy the restaurant with their significant other. I would whine and complain about how unfair it was that I would never get to go to these nice places to enjoy a meal because I had no one with whom to dine. Then, on one vacation, I decided that, rather than order takeout, visit a drive-thru, or get room service, I would go to different restaurants. I would go and enjoy dinner all by myself. After all, I was on vacation by myself and I was in a town where no one knew me, so they could not judge me for eating alone. Eventually, I got the hang of dining alone. I no longer denied myself the experience of trying new restaurants just because I had no one special in my life with whom to dine. There are many times when we get so caught up in what we do not have that we start to drown in our loneliness. It is as if, because we are single, everything else about our lives has to be miserable. However, if you find yourself having that kind of defeated mindset, you are well-served to not enter into a relationship anytime soon. In a relationship, there should be two people who feel victorious and whole on their own that come together to create something powerful. If you will listen, you will hear that God is knocking at the door of your heart. He wants your attention. He wants your adoration. God wants to spend time with you. God, the very same God who created heaven and earth and everything in it that you desire, cares enough for you that He wants some alone time with you. He knocks, but will you answer? Or, will you be so busy weeping and wailing and crying, “Woe is me!” that you don’t even notice that the Savior is waiting to enter your heart. He wants to make you feel whole and complete in Him. So that, mate or no mate, you are never alone. Listen to His voice and let Him into your heart fully. Dine with Him daily. Feast on His Word. Drink from His well of Living Water. Prayer Thank You, God for giving me the opportunity to dine with You and commune with You. Please forgive me for thinking that there is something missing from my life. Lord, please help me to hear You and accept Your will for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. Pray While You’re Prey Weekly Devotions for Singles
Week Forty Three Sheer Delight Scripture: Psalm 37:4-5 Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass. Quote from Pray While You’re Prey: “I know the type of [mate] that I desire, and I want to be with the type of [mate] that God desires for me.” I, like many, have often searched for the key to getting everything I want. I mean, who doesn’t like getting his or her way? I will even admit, because I know I have been forgiven for it, that there was a point in which I thought I could manipulate God. I would say things like, “God, I promise to…If You will…,” (you didn’t really think I was going to fill in the blanks, did you?). Then, I read this Scripture, Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” It sounded super simple. So, I just had to show God that I loved Him, right? I went to church, Sunday school, and Bible Study. I paid my tithes and offering. I sang with the praise team. I even read the Bible and prayed on my own. And, I am a deacon’s daughter, so that had to count for something. And, I truly felt that because I did all of that, God should give me what I wanted…A MAN!!! I would pray this Scripture back to Him like I was told you are supposed to, “Lord, You said if I delight in You, You would give me the desires of my heart, so I want a man, who is saved and taller than me, who will pursue me and treat me right, someone sane, stable and supportive, and Lord, you know I am a visual person, so he has to be someone I am attracted to. Remember, what You promised. I am delighting in You.” Yes, I was that brazen, or young and stupid either way, I was totally misinterpreting this verse and I had taken it out of context. I never really read the second part of the verse about commitment and trust. Not only that, but I did not realize that when you are serving someone only for what you can get out of the deal, that is not true devotion. I have learned through many of my relationships with men, friends and family, how I was treating God. I have had many people in my life offer me praise, help, and so-called commitment, just so that they could get what they wanted from me. It is an awful feeling and I hate that I ever thought that my relationship with God should be like that. But, praise God for spiritual growth!!! Now, I know that these verses mean when you have sheer delight in God alone, you commit to Him alone, and you trust in Him alone, He will change your heart and your desires to conform to His Will for your life. He will set you on a path of dreams that you never even imagined. All of the things and people you wanted before may be included, but they will not be the ultimate prize. The ultimate prize will be an intimate relationship with the only One who can totally and completely satiate your every desire, which is the one, true, living, loving God Almighty. Find sheer delight and Him and see your desires fulfilled. Prayer Thank You, God for allowing me to have a close, personal relationship with You. Please forgive me for anytime I have done something to please You in an effort to get my way. Lord, please help me to wholly commit to Your Will for my life and trust in You, so that the dreams You placed me will come to pass. In Jesus’ Name, Amen *Scripture quotations are from the New International Version ©1984, unless otherwise indicated. |
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