Heartlight/Leaves of Light

[Judy Harder]

October 15

2 Samuel 7:22
How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.

Thoughts on today's verse

"I am Yahweh, who saved you out of Egypt. You must never have any other god but me!" The Lord God Almighty said at the beginning of the Ten Commandments. What else is there to say?

Prayer:

Holy, Righteous, and Only Living God, I hold you in the highest place in my heart. Forgive me when I do not hold you in the highest place in my life. Empower me with your Holy Spirit to give up all the little things that distract my allegiance to you and interfere with you being the Supreme and Sovereign God in my day-to-day life. In Jesus name. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 16

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Thoughts on today's verse

God does so much for us. He is the strength and promise that undergirds our lives. He is the one who has saved us from sin and death. Our worship comes from our gratitude for what he has done and recognition of who he is. But worship can never be compartmentalized and fit into church places or quiet times. Worship involves every aspect of life. That is why it is so important for us to tune the words of our mouths and the motives of our hearts to God's will and work. Then private worship, whether alone in quiet or in a group of Christians, becomes the tuning time for our hearts and lives so that our public worship, our lives lived out in the world, will play the song of God to a world who has not yet really heard it.

Prayer:

O Holy and Almighty God, I want this day to be a day of worship and honor to you. May m! y life praise you: not just in thought, not just in words, but also in action. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

October 17

Psalm 25:14-15
The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Thoughts on today's verse

Where does true deliverance come from? Only from God. Salvation is found in God through deep reverential respect for his holiness and might, through living in covenant relationship with him, and through maintaining our focus on him. Any other roads to salvation and deliverance are false and ultimately prove themselves to be a snare.

Prayer:

Precious Father, you have done so much to save me. You who are so holy and righteous have reached down to take my hand. Teach me your ways. Correct the wrongs in my life. Guide me into your truth. I want to not only be saved from my sin, but from days of uselessness and frustration. Make me a vessel that can be used to honor you. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 18

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

Thoughts on today's verse

If there is anything we don't like to do, it's wait. Maybe that is why God is so interested in us learning to do it! There is something purifying about remaining strong in tough times and remaining faithful when ill winds blow. So God gives us times of waiting to see if our search is really for him or merely for something new.

Prayer:

Loving Father, I know you have waited for me so many times -- for me to show my faith, repent of my sins, grow in holiness, come to you in prayer, act more mature, give to those who cannot return my care... Help me as I wait for you to show me the way with my decisions, to meet my needs, and reveal your presence in my loneliness. I really do seek you with all my heart. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 19

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Thoughts on today's verse

Rather than seeing this as a way to get our wish list granted, let's see it for what it really is -- an invitation to seek a love relationship with God above all other things. In finding him, we will find our priorities properly aligned and our hearts tuned to know what is really valuable and what is not. Then we will see that what we have in him is our heart's greatest desire.

Prayer:

Awesome and Gracious Father, I confess to you that so often my heart is full of selfish things. But in moments like these, Father, I recognize that you are what I most need and your will is my heart's desire. Please kindle your Spirit in me so that I may see through any selfish, deception that would rob me of having you first in my life. Forgive me when I'm petty, selfish and shallow. May I know you as much as is possible for a mortal to know you, not so that I may be full, but that you may be honored. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 20

Psalm 51:12
Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Thoughts on today's verse

In the face of sin and separation from God, grace is a refreshing stream that restores salvation. But the joy of salvation is found only when we realize and accept the forgiveness, grace, and restoration God has given us -- when we drink from the stream of grace. The joy of salvation is sustained in a changed lifestyle and an ongoing recognition that we walk with God.

Prayer:

Holy and Righteous Father, I long for the outbreak of the joy of salvation like I see in the Book of Acts. I pray for your Spirit to lead us into another era of outreach, conversion, and celebration. I pray for wisdom to know and eyes to see those around me who are most open to the Gospel. I want to be a partner with you in your ongoing work of salvation. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 21

Psalm 40:8
I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

Thoughts on today's verse

Too many of us are paranoid about the word law and find it hard to hear a scripture like this. But we must recognize that the goal of the New Covenant of grace and Spirit is that God's law is written on our hearts, not on tablets of stone. Jeremiah prophesied of such a day. The focus, desiring to do God's will -- a passion to love the things our Father loves and despise the things he despises.

Prayer:

Abba Father, I do want to do your will. I want to please you, glorify you, and lead others to you. Give me spiritual discernment to know your will and spiritual courage to do it today. I want your character and righteousness to inform my heart when I am tempted not to live for you. Gently humble me when I am wrong or have lost my way. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.'

[Judy Harder]

October 22

Galatians 6:2
Carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Thoughts on today's verse

I feel so burdened myself, that sometimes I can't even see others' burdens. But Jesus reminds me that if I am to be like him, I will be a burden carrier. This is why he came, why he died, and why his resurrection is so important -- to lift from us the burdens of sin, death, and depravity.

Prayer:

Compassionate Father, help me to see and respond to the burdens in other lives around me. I want to be a blessing to the broken and discouraged, so please help me find my place and my way of serving to your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 23

Proverbs 15:23
A man finds joy in giving an apt reply -- and how good is a timely word!

Thoughts on today's verse

Knowing the right word at the right time is a great gift. But even the best of speakers has to admit that the best of his or her words are not nearly as good as those the Spirit gives. Nevertheless, we must not excuse ourselves of insensitive speech, unkindness, or even missed opportunities because we were not paying attention to what was said, were not spiritually in tune with the needs of our companions, or simply did not know Scripture well enough to bless others with gracious speech at the appropriate time.

Prayer:

Loving Shepherd, I will spend much of my time today with people. Some of them know you, but most do not. Please give me wisdom to say things that lead people closer to you. Give me words of help and hope for the broken. Give me words of tenderness for the fainting. Give me words of direction for the confused. Father, I pray that whatever words I say today may reflect your will and be led by your purposes. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

[Judy Harder]

October 24

Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Thoughts on today's verse

We pursue so many things, but only one pursuit brings wisdom. Paul reminded the Athenians that God made us to seek after him and find him (Acts 17). The wisdom of Proverbs keeps leading us back to "knowing God" and having a deep and reverential awe toward him as the source of wisdom. Understanding of priorities, needs, purposes, goals, problems, and issues can occur only when we first recognize who the Lord is and know him in our day-to-day lives.

Prayer:

Holy, Majestic, Righteous, and Eternal God. I confess that I know you so much less than you know me. But your faithfulness in my life, your power displayed in history, your grace shared with so many through the cross of Christ, and your promise to bring me home to you one day sustain me. I want to know you so that my life can be lost in your will. Not for my glory or gain, but for your praise, I ask that you make yourself known to me in the things I do today. Through Jesus I ask it. Amen.