Eternal Kindness

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

Ephesians 2:6-7 (GW)
God has brought us back to life together with Christ Jesus and has given us a position in heaven with him. He did this through Christ Jesus out of his generosity to us in order to show his extremely rich kindness in the world to come.

Eternity in heaven … the richest kindness ever, forever!

 


Good morning, Lord. You are kind to me, now and for eternity. I struggle to be kind for a moment. I can be so wrapped up in myself that I don’t notice others. I let a bad attitude stop me from caring. And, I confess, sometimes I am deliberately unkind. Forgive me. I want to be more like You, God. I want to be instantly and eternally kind.

 

 

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The Kindness of the Lord

Posted on October 28, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Isaiah 63:7 (NIV)
I will tell of the kindnesses of the Lord,
the deeds for which he is to be praised,
according to all the Lord has done for us ….

 

Am I giving God credit for all the kindness he has shown to me?

Hmmmm, maybe I should make a list.

 

Good morning, Lord. Forgive me for overlooking the kindness You show me daily: reliable sunrise and sunset, the varied tastes and smells of the food I eat, the chatter of voices, the comfort of familiar possessions, the intrigue of new information, the sound of laughter, the breeze on my cheek, the air I breathe, the protection I don’t even notice — more than I can ask or think. Thank You.

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God’s Patience

Posted on October 25, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


“God’s patience is infinite. Men, like small kettles, boil quickly with wrath at the least wrong. Not so God. If God were as wrathful, the world would have been a heap of ruins long ago.”
Sudhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929)

 


Good morning, Lord. You are so patient with me and my shortcomings. I am so impatient, with You and with others. I speak before I think, and I judge before I pray. I want a quick fix to every problem, yet I routinely procrastinate. I keep tally of every offense against me and fail to count my blessings.

“I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19), Forgive me, O God. I am a work in progress — thank You for not giving up on me.

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Understanding Patience

Posted on October 24, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott

 

Proverbs 14:29 (NIV)
Whoever is patient has great understanding,
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

 

Great understanding doesn’t require an explanation or an end-date. Patience acknowledges God’s wisdom and timing.

 


Good morning, Lord. It is so easy to complain and ask “why me?” It is much harder to persevere in faith, patiently trusting Your plan. Teach me to take it one day, one hour, one moment at a time, not needing to know what lies ahead. Teach me to trust Your timing.

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Patience that Is Slow to Anger

Posted on October 23, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


What is patience? The Greek word translated as patience is literally makrós, “long” and thymós, “passion, anger” – waiting a long time to express anger.  It brings to mind this wisdom from the Apostle James.

James 1:20 (NIV)
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

I tend to think of patience as willingness to wait, deferred gratification. It’s easy to miss the part about deferred anger.

 


Good morning, Lord. I want to be patient, to be slow to anger. Teach me to think before I speak angry words. Teach me to pray first and speak after. Teach me to follow the nudge of Your Holy Spirit — holding my tongue or choosing my words as You direct.

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Wide-Suffering Patience

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


James 5:11 (NIV)
As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.

Job’s suffering seems wider than long. He lost his children, his property, his wealth and his health — all in a flash. One loss, stacked on top of another and then another. And yet he persevered and kept the faith.

Truth is, I’ve pouted and doubted at so much less. Job is my hero!

 

 

Good morning, Lord. I look at the length and width of Job’s suffering and his unwavering faith. I remember how I whine and fret over little things. Forgive me.


Job’s losses bring to mind the folks who lost their homes, possessions and loved ones in Hurricane Helene. Grant them the patience of Job. Strengthen their faith. Bring trustworthy helpers to walk beside them through the long recovery. May we all persevere in prayer for their present and future well-being.

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Longsuffering Patience

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Ephesians 4:1-2 (NKJV)
… walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.

The same Greek word is sometimes translated patience, sometimes longsuffering. I don’t mind praying for more patience, but seriously? Who prays for more suffering? 

When we hit hard times, we want things set to right sooner, not later. We’re impatient with others, impatient with God. 

On the other hand, God’s love endures forever (Psalm 136:1). And forever is longer than my suffering.

 

Good morning, Lord. I understand that patience is all about timing and persevering. It recognizes that You work with the long view, not necessarily the quick fix. At yet, O God, I want the quick fix, sooner rather than later. Grant me the patience to trust You are working for the greater good — for me, for humanity.

 

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Prince of Peace

Posted on October 18, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott



“Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and he is on the throne.”
Edward Henry Bickersteth, 1875

 


Know Jesus, know peace.

 


Good morning, Lord Jesus. You are the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). You fill our souls with peace here and now, thank You. When we look around us, we see a world in desperate need of peace. We long for world peace, thus we pray “Even so, Lord, come quickly” (Revelation 22:20).

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Peace that Passes Understanding

Posted on October 17, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


Philippians 4:7 (ESV)
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

God’s peace isn’t logical. It is beyond anything we can conjure up in our own minds. We don’t have to understand it. We simply embrace it.

 

Good morning, Lord. Thank You for Your peace — without it, I would be overwhelmed by worries. I didn’t earn this peace, I don’t deserve it, and I don’t understand it. Nevertheless, I sense it, I hold on to it, I trust that it won’t disappear like a breath of wind. Faith is the assurance of things we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1), and peace is one of the things we cannot see. Again, thank You.

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War and Peace

Posted on October 16, 2024 by Shirlee Abbott


“What! At peace with the Father,
and at war with His Children?
It cannot be.”
John Flavel (1627–1691)

 

 

Good morning, Lord. I say I want to live at peace with You and those around me. But then, I make snap judgments, speak rudely, plot to get my own way. Forgive me. Your way, not mine, is the path to peace. Be the light to my feet, the wisdom in my ears, the compassion in my eyes and the kindness behind my words.  

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