Day 24: 31 Days of Prayer

July 24, 2010

Morning

Psalm 16:8 (NIV) I have set the Lord ALWAYS before me.

This phrase is a deep well from which we can and should drink. It reveals the reasons for David’s stability and perseverance in life. Meditate on the word “Always.” What would it mean for us to “set the Lord ALWAYS before us?” Scripture provides the answers, describing some things we always must do.

First, we should ALWAYS immerse ourselves in Scripture. David alluded to this in the previous verse. But we can’t put the LORD before us without putting Scripture in us. Joshua 1:8 (NIV) Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Our success in life and ministry depends on our immersion in Scripture. Psalm 1:2-3 (NIV) ² But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. ³ He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Second, we should ALWAYS rejoice, pray, and give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) Be joyful always; ¹⁷ pray continually; ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. The three are inseparable. You can’t do one without the others. This is the opposite of complaining. Philippians 2:14-16 (NIV) ¹⁴ Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵ so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe ¹⁶ as you hold out the word of life…Just doing this “always” will make us a “Christian star” and an effective evangelist.

There’s more. But for today, ask God’s to instill His word in you and to remind you today to always rejoice, pray, and give thanks. Make mental notes of how well you do this and the difference it made in your dealings with people and circumstances. When you return tonight, make sure to give thanks.

Evening

Ephesians 5:20 (NIV) Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything… In 1942, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker became lost over the South Pacific in his B-17, forced with his men to ditch in the ocean. For a month, Captain Eddie and his companions fought sun, sea, sharks, and starvation. On one particularly hot day Rickenbacker dozed off in the heat. In Captain Eddie's own words, "Something landed on my head. I knew that it was a sea gull. Everyone else knew too. The gull meant food... if I could catch it." Captain Eddie caught the gull. Its flesh was eaten. Its intestines were used for bait to catch fish. The survivors were sustained because a lone sea gull, hundreds of miles from land, offered itself as a sacrifice. Captain Eddie never forgot. Every Friday evening... on a lonely stretch of Florida seacoast... he would carry a bucket of shrimp to feed the gulls... remembering the one that gave itself without a struggle... like manna in the wilderness. What seagulls has God brought into your life to save you? Give thanks for them tonight.