Shirlee Abbott

A Living Sacrifice for God

Posted on July 30, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

How do I know God’s will for me?

By letting go.

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

When I was young, this was a common saying: “Let go and let God. ” It’s still good advice.

Good morning, Lord. There are things I’ll never know and understand this side of heaven. But I don’t have to know it all to know that You are good. Teach me to lay aside my plans and trust You. I want to let go and let You take charge.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged let go and let God, living sacrifice, Romans 12:1-2 | 2 Comments

Set Apart for God

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Consecrated (in Hebrew, qadash) means sanctified, set apart, dedicated.

Leviticus 20:7-8 (NLT)
So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the Lord who makes you holy.

I set myself apart from the world and dedicate my life to God. Then, He makes me holy.

Good morning, Lord. I want to set myself apart from the world around me — not just a few minutes here or a worship service there, but all the time. I want to be fully dedicated to You. Teach me to be in the world but not of the world. Keep me looking to heaven as I’m walking on earth.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged consecrated, Holy, in the world and not of the world, Leviticus 20:7-8, set apart | Comments Off

All In for God

Posted on July 28, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

“Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee …
Take myself, and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.”
Frances Havergal, 1874.
From the hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be”

All for God and not myself — all the time.

Good morning, Lord. I say I’m all in for You, and yet temptation calls. I chase after the world’s glitter and glamor, I envy someone else’s success, I hold tight to an old grudge, pride rears its arrogant head. Forgive me! Lead me away from temptation, keep my feet safely on the path of righteousness. Set my eyes and heart on what is right and good in Your sight, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Posted in Morning Prayer, Timeless Wisdom | Tagged all for God, Frances Havergal, Take My Life and Let It Be | Comments Off

God Pours

Posted on July 25, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Blessings! More than I can count.

Luke 6:38 (NIV)
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

God isn’t stingy with me. I don’t want to be stingy with Him.

Good morning, Lord. They say to count my blessings … frankly, I can’t begin to measure what You’ve done for me. And yet, I sometimes obsess over one or two things I think I lack, and it blinds me to all the benefits You’ve poured into my lap. I pray, “Give me today my daily bread,” oblivious to the abundance I already hold. May I be as generous with my praise and gratitude as You are with Your grace and mercy.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged daily bread, Luke 6:38, poured into your lap | 4 Comments

Jesus Poured

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

The Word of the Lord, from the prophet Isaiah, regarding the coming Messiah:

Isaiah 53:12 (NIV)
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Good morning, Lord. I pour out my love for You because You poured out Your life for me. I owe all that I have and all that I am to You.

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Pour Out Your Hearts

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Like those two New Testament women, I can pour out my heart before the Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 62:8 (NIV)
Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

Good morning, Lord. I bring to You my hopes, fears, concerns, doubts, desires, gratitude and praise. I pour all of it — the good, the bad and the ugly — at the foot of Your throne in prayer. You accept it all with grace, thank You. Teach me to trust You in all things. Empty my heart of all selfishness and evil; fill it to overflowing with love.

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Poured on Jesus’ Head

Posted on July 22, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

A different woman than yesterday’s post, but a similar story:

Matthew 26:7-9 (ESV)
… a woman came up to him [Jesus] with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.”

Extravagant love!

Good morning, Lord. All that is good comes from You, and I owe all the good that I have to You — not just what money can buy, but also what money cannot buy: loyalty, compassion, kindness, devotion, joy, reverence. You alone are worthy, O God, of extravagant love.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged extravagant love, Matthew 26:7-9, Poured on Jesus' head | Comments Off

Poured at Jesus’ Feet

Posted on July 21, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

“Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store.”
Frances Havergal, 1874
From the hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be”

This verse of our old hymn looks to the action of the sinful woman of Capernaum:

Luke 7:37-38 (TLB)
… a woman of the streets—a prostitute—heard he [Jesus] was there and brought an exquisite flask filled with expensive perfume. Going in, she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping, with her tears falling down upon his feet; and she wiped them off with her hair and kissed them and poured the perfume on them.

Good morning, Lord. I don’t particularly like my own feet, and I have no desire to get up close and personal with anyone else’s. But if I saw Your feet, Jesus, wounded and bloody after being nailed to the cross, I would cry — enough tears, perhaps, to clean away some of the blood. Like the biblical woman of the streets, I pour my love at Your feet … forever grateful for Your sacrifice on my behalf.

Posted in Morning Prayer, Timeless Wisdom | Tagged Frances Havergal, Luke 7:37-38, Take My Life and Let It Be | 2 Comments

Broken-Hearted

Posted on July 18, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Psalm 51:17 (NLT)
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Other versions of this psalm say contrite, penitent, truly sorry, humble, sorrowful. If I’m honest, those words rarely describe my heart.

Good morning, Lord. Break my heart for what breaks Yours — be it the sin of the world or my own sin. Teach me to rejoice in good and mourn evil. Grant me the discernment to know wrong from right. May I be truly sorry for my sin, confessing and repenting with an honest, humble heart.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged broken and contrite heart, Psalm 51:17 | 2 Comments

Hard-Hearted

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Matthew 13:15 (NLT) – also Isaiah 6;9-10
For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.

A hard heart leads to all sorts of problems.

Good morning, Lord. I don’t want to be counted among those hard-hearted folks who lack understanding, people who are spiritually deaf and blind. Grant me an open heart, eager to absorb Your wisdom, quick to hear and read Your Word. O God, heal me — body and soul.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged blind, deaf, hard-hearted, Isaiah 6:9-10, Matthew 13:15 | Comments Off