Shirlee Abbott

What Are You Losing for Lent?

Posted on March 6, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Lots of folks (including me) give up some kind of food during Lent. You could call it a weight-loss program — you lose the weight of your bad habits and sins.

Joel 2:12 (AMP)
“Even now,” says the Lord,
“Turn and come to Me with all your heart
[in genuine repentance],
With fasting and weeping and mourning
[until every barrier is removed
and the broken fellowship is restored].”

The Amplified version of the Bible adds words to clarify the meaning of a passage. Here, it connects fasting with repentance. The loss: the weight of my sin. The gain: fellowship with God.

Good morning, Lord. I pray, “forgive me,” and You do. And then I sin again, and You forgive again. I’m so sorry. Break the cycle, Lord! Teach me to think the way You do, to use my time well, to speak the truth in love, and to walk in obedience to Your commands — today and every day.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Lent, Morning Prayer | Tagged fasting, Joes 2:12, Lent, repentance | 2 Comments

What Are You Changing for Lent?

Posted on March 5, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Lent begins today. It’s the season of fasting, right?

Not necessarily.

Isaiah 58:6 (MSG)
This is the kind of fast day I’m after:
to break the chains of injustice,
get rid of exploitation in the workplace,
free the oppressed,
cancel debts.

Maybe Lent is a time to do something new. Maybe it’s time for a change.

Good morning, Lord. You gave up the glories of heaven to come to earth and change our world. You call me to make changes — to give up what isn’t good and take up what is better. What is it You want me to put aside this Lenten season, and what do You want me to take up?

Change my heart, O Lord, change my actions, change me — for the better.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Lent, Morning Prayer | Tagged Change, fasting, Isaiah 58:6, Lent | Comments Off

Overindulgence

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

It’s Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), a day of feasting and wild partying before Lent’s fasting and sacrifice.

Not quite what God had in mind.

Amos 5:21 (NASB)
I [the Lord] hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your festive assemblies.

God is not honored by our overindulgence.

Good morning, Lord. Tomorrow marks the start of Lent, a season of sober reflection on Your sacrifice. The day before Your crucifixion, You celebrated the Passover. The focus was on Almighty God’s love and power, not man’s overindulgence. Likewise, may I focus on You today, not by indulging my desires but by obeying your commands.

Fix my thoughts on You, dear Jesus — today, tomorrow and through all eternity.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged Amos 5:21, Fat Tuesday, Lent, Mardi Gras | Comments Off

Indulge!

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Psalm 34:3,8 (NIV)
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together …
Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Following the Sunday worship service, our congregation shared a potluck luncheon. Come supper time, my husband suggested we go out for dessert.

So he and I indulged in different versions of chocolate (cake for him, pie for me). We tasted goodness of the Lord — at church and a restaurant.

Good morning, Lord. It is easy to mindlessly thank You for our food, without considering what goes into it: the eggs, the flour, the sugar, the seasoning. Your people ate the same thing in the wilderness for forty years and thrived. I eat something different every day. You are behind the nutritional content, the texture and flavor. I taste Your goodness in every bite. Thank You!

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged gratitude, indulge, Psalm 34:3-8, Taste and See | Comments Off

Perfect Knowledge

Posted on February 28, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

“Most high and glorious God, enlighten the darkness of my heart and give me, Lord, a correct faith, a certain hope, a perfect charity, sense and knowledge, so that I may carry out Your holy and true command. Amen.”
Francis of Assisi (1182-1226)

Good morning, Lord. Perfection is Yours, not mine. My love, common sense and knowledge fall short — and yet they improve as I study Your Word, rejoice in the glories of Your creation and listen to the nudges of Your Spirit. The better I know You and Your Word, the more I reflect Your light in this dark world. Shine, Jesus, shine in and through me.

Posted in Morning Prayer, Timeless Wisdom | Tagged perfect knowledge, St.. Francis of Assisi, Timeless Wisdom | Comments Off

Speaking Knowledge

Posted on February 27, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Proverbs 2:6 (NIV)
For the Lord gives wisdom;
from his mouth come
knowledge and understanding.

From God’s mouth to my ear (or His Word to my eyes).

Good morning, Lord. Focus my eyes on Your Word and the wonders of Your creation. Tune my ears to heal the whisper of the Holy Spirit. Fill me with knowledge and wisdom I wouldn’t find on my own. Forgive me for focusing on foolish and worldly distractions. Teach me to be a good steward of my time, treasure and talent — for Your glory, not mine.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged God's mouth, knowledge, Proverbs 2:6 | 2 Comments

Revealing Knowledge

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Knowledge comes to me through my eyes.

Psalm 19:1-2 (NIV)
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.

I read it in the Bible, and I see it in the skies. Not one or the other … both.

Good morning, Lord. Open my eyes to Your knowledge — in the words of Scripture and in the glories of creation. Each day, add to my store of knowledge as I read (and re-read) the Bible, as I look at the wonders of nature. Both reveal to me Your power, wisdom and love. You are a great God, worthy of my gratitude and praise.

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The Start of Knowledge

Posted on February 25, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Proverbs 1:7 (AMP)
The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence].

I can study hard, but if I don’t start with God I’m wasting my time.

Good morning, Lord. I’m starting my morning with prayer and praise, because it all starts with You. You started the world with a word and everything else followed. Such power … I can’t even imagine! Who am I, that You even notice me? I’ve done nothing to deserve Your grace. You deserve my full attention, my gratitude, my obedience, my awe, my praise.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged fear of the Lord, knowledge, Proverbs 1:7 | Comments Off

The Key to Knowledge

Posted on February 24, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

In Luke 11, Jesus takes the Pharisees and experts in God’s law to task with a series of “Woe to you” statements. This last woe sums up the others.

Luke 11:52 (NIV)
Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.

Instead of pointing others to God’s Word, they gave folks a long list of man-made rules. Follow the rules, they said, and you’re good.

Bad advice.

Good morning, Lord. Teach me to look to You and Your Word for knowledge. Forgive me for listening to the wisdom of the world and thinking I know what’s what. Build my thoughts on the firm foundation of Your truth. Your Word is the key to peace of mind, good decisions and righteous action.

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Open Minds

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Shirlee Abbott

Jesus shared the big picture with His disciples … as He does with us.

Luke 24:45 (ESV)
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

I can shut down my mind, clutter it with unnecessary details, send it down silly rabbit trails, derail it with wild fantasies, distract it from serious work. God opens it to Biblical truth and wisdom.

Good morning, Lord. Open my mind, today and every day, to the message You’ve set for me in Your Word. When I’m obedient and attentive, You prepare me in advance for the things You know will happen. Teach me to read Scripture thoughtfully and expectantly. Plant Your wisdom deep in my heart, safe from the winds of doubt and frustration.

Posted in Constructive Thought, Morning Prayer | Tagged God's Word, Luke 24:45, open minds, Scripture | Comments Off