Quiet Walk

[Judy Harder]

January 22
Genesis 43

Jacob is forced to send his youngest son, Benjamin, to Egypt.

INSIGHT

In his commentary, F. B. Meyer regards Joseph as a reflection of Christ who, when his brothers come to him in fear, has only love to bestow on them. Meyer writes:

"Very often we move forward with dread into the unknown." In reality, our fears are groundless. "If only we realized that [God's] love is waiting for us there." His love requires little from us . . . just ourselves. He enables us to live a happy life when we realize the good He has for us. So, "lift up your hearts; a feast awaits you!"

PRAYER

· We are free to praise God because of what we know of Him through the Scriptures:

Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,
And You are exalted as head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.
Now therefore, our God,
We thank You
And praise Your glorious name
(1 Chronicles 29:11-13).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me. . . .
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You
(Psalms 51:10).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
(Romans 8:32).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· sensitivity to sin,
· the ministry of your church,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord who loves you as one of His children:

Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever. Amen
(Revelation 7:12).

[Judy Harder]

January 23
Genesis 44

Joseph's older brothers are tested.

INSIGHT

Sometimes we get a second chance. When we do, it is important to seize the opportunity.

Judah did. When his brothers plotted to kill Joseph, Judah intervened. But he still fell short of rescuing Joseph.

Judah's second chance came when, from his perspective, Benjamin's life was in danger. Judah put his own life on the line. Perhaps this commitment was taken into account in the blessings he passed on to his sons, resulting in the Messiah coming through the tribe of Judah.
Throughout life we are given second chances. We should take these chances and set things right.

PRAYER

· Daily we have the second chance to offer praise to the God of grace:

You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints . . .
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name
(Psalms 97:10-12).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed,
O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise
(Psalms 51:14-15).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· health and strength to serve Him,
· His will to be done on earth,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort our hearts and establish us in every good word and work (based on 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

[Judy Harder]

January 24
Genesis 45

Joseph and his brothers reconcile.

INSIGHT

Forgiveness! Where would we be without forgiveness? Without forgiving and being forgiven?

We see in this chapter a very moving example of Joseph being willing to forgive the very ones who some years earlier had plotted to kill him. Notice that Joseph's ability to forgive was rooted squarely in his theology: "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Genesis 50:20).

If we lay hold of eternal rather than earthly things, we can more easily forgive when someone robs us of earthly things. Forgive and accept forgiveness.

PRAYER

· Thank the Lord and praise Him that He forgives us through Christ (John 15:5):

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
And He changes the times and the seasons . . .
He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him
(Daniel 2:20-22).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart --
These, O God, You will not despise
(Psalms 51:16-17).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· spiritual victory over temptation,
· opportunities to serve Him,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness
(Psalms 84:10).

[Judy Harder]

January 25
Genesis 50

Jacob dies; then Joseph lives to be 110 years old.

INSIGHT

God's will is often fulfilled in strange ways. Joseph was given childhood dreams indicating he would rule over his brothers. Little could Joseph have imagined it would include their trying to kill him, his spending time in prison, and his ruling over the nation of Egypt.

That time and those experiences were needed to build into Joseph the character qualities and the wisdom needed to rule successfully. Never doubt in the dark what God shows you in the light.

PRAYER

· As we praise the Lord in the words of this psalm, focus on His sovereignty and goodness:

O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory
(Psalms 63:1-2).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

You, my God, are wise in heart and mighty in strength,
Who has hardened himself against You and prospered? (based on Job 9:4).

I will return to the Lord;
For You have torn me, but You will heal me;
You have stricken, but You will bind me up.
After two days You will revive me;
On the third day You will raise me up,
That I may live in Your sight
(based on Hosea 6:1-2).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, affirming the truth of God's Word:

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs -- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (Romans 8:16-17).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· greater personal discipline,
· Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen (1 Timothy 6:15-16).

[Judy Harder]

January 26

Exodus 1

The children of Israel suffer in Egypt.

INSIGHT

God's control over the world need never be questioned. God intended to bring Israel back into the Promised Land. He had spoken it, and He would do it.

When that seemed least likely, it was closest to happening. In the dark hour of Israel's enslavement, God was working to deliver them -- through the birth and miraculous preservation of Moses. Before Moses would die, Israel would be back on the doorstep of the land which had been promised to them.

To many today, the fulfillment of God's promises seems unlikely. Christ's return may be scoffed at, but God has spoken it, and God will do it.

The day is drawing nearer. We must watch -- and be ready.

PRAYER

· In the words of this psalm, praise the God of the impossible:

When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings
I will rejoice (Psalms 63:6-7).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord:

If I say that I have no sin, I deceive myself, and the truth is not in me. If I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me my sins and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (based on 1 John 1:8-9).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame" (Romans 10:9-11).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· your faithfulness in sharing Christ,
· the Lord's work in national and world affairs,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord all His works,
In all places of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
(Psalms 103:21-22).

[Judy Harder]

January 27

Exodus 2

Moses is born and later flees to Midian.

INSIGHT

God is sovereign in all the earth; we must never forget that. Much inner distress in life comes from losing sight of that one fact.

The same God who cared for Moses promises to care for us -- perhaps not as dramatically, but just as certainly. The peace that God promises -- the peace which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7) -- is ours only if we embrace that fundamental truth.

PRAYER

· In full confidence of the sovereignty of God in your circumstances, give praise to God with this passage from the prophet Isaiah:

Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in
(Isaiah 40:21-22).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord as you come into His special presence:
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me
(Psalms 38:4).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (Ephesians 2:4).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· God's sovereign will to be done on earth as it is in heaven,
· greater righteousness in your community,
· your prayer list.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned
(Revelation 11:17).

[Judy Harder]

January 28
Exodus 3

God calls Moses to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt.

INSIGHT

The wisdom of Egypt was not adequate to equip Moses to serve God, so God took him out of the limelight -- into solitude and obscurity. There Moses met God and learned to walk with Him.

The pattern was the same for many of God's servants: Joseph, David, Daniel, Paul, and John. Occasionally it will appear as though we have been set aside. Properly used, that time will equip the Lord's servant for the next level of ministry.

Be faithful. Without deserts, there are no deliverers.

PRAYER

· Regardless of your circumstances, lift up your heart to God in praise.

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land
(Psalms 95:1-5).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord as you come into His special presence:
Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips
(Isaiah 6:5).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

Your iniquity is taken away,
And your sin purged (Isaiah 6:7).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· a heart filled with thanksgiving for the opportunity to worship the living God,
· your pastor and worship leaders,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

But now, O Lord,
You are our Father;
We are the clay, and You our potter;
And all we are the work of Your hand
(Isaiah 64:.

[Judy Harder]

January 29

Exodus 4

Aaron is appointed to help Moses.

INSIGHT

God does not need any one of us. He wants us and He would like to use us, but God does not need us. Take away one person, and the work of God is not diminished -- it goes on.

When God calls us to a ministry, it is for our benefit. If we are unwilling or impure, He can get the work done through someone else. We must realize that everything God asks of us is ultimately for our benefit -- even serving Him. Moses is a good example of that fact.

PRAYER

· Offer the Lord your praise for His goodness through the words of this psalm:

Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him, all the earth
(1 Chronicles 16:28-30).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

You, even You, are He who blots out my
transgressions for Your own sake;
And You will not remember my sins
(based on Isaiah 43:25).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 8:28-30).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· your development of an eternal perspective,
· needs of work or school mates,
· today's activities.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

May we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen
(based on 2 Peter 3:18).

[Judy Harder]

January 30

Exodus 5

Israel's affliction increases.

INSIGHT

When troubles come upon us, instinctively the first question we ask is: "Why?" "Why me, why this, why now?" That is what Moses asked in verse 22. Yet, in retrospect, we see that the question was premature. We now know why -- since hindsight is better than foresight.

How long will it take the Lord to deliver us from our troubles? Usually just a little longer than we thought we could tolerate. We must remember the example of Moses when we are tempted to ask the Lord, "Why?"

PRAYER

· Even in the midst of trials, we can praise the Lord, who hears us and cares for us:

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
For the Lord is the great God,
And the great King above all gods. . . .
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand
(Psalms 95:1-3).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:

In returning and rest I shall be saved;
In quietness and confidence shall be my strength
(based on Isaiah 30:15).

· Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind. As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:.

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
· others to see Christ in you,
· the fulfillment of the Great Commission,
· your prayer list.

· Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the Lord
In the land of the living.
Wait on the Lord;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the Lord!
(Psalms 27:13-14). 

[Judy Harder]

January 31

Exodus 6

Moses is reassured by God.

INSIGHT

Throughout the Bible, God becomes more and more intimate with His people. By His official title, El Shaddai, God made Himself known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But now He tells Moses His name: Jehovah. Then in the Gospels, God becomes even more personal -- as Jesus becomes incarnate. And in Acts and the Epistles, we discover that God comes to live in our hearts in the person of the Holy Spirit.

The final act of intimacy will be when God brings us home. Then we can fellowship with Him face to face and forever.

PRAYER

· Let us praise our intimate God with the words of the psalmist:

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
May my meditation be sweet to Him;
I will be glad in the Lord
(Psalms 104:33-34).

For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light
(Psalms 36:9).

· Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:

O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
My soul also is greatly troubled
(Psalms 6:1-3).

· As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).

· As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

· a stronger desire for Christ to live through you,
· churches across the nation,
· the concerns of your heart.

· Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:

The Lord shall preserve us from all evil;
He shall preserve our souls.
The Lord shall preserve our going out and our coming in
From this time forth, and even forevermore
(based on Psalms 121:7-8).