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Written in my worship journal some years ago after a run in with a team mate, an example of lifting my soul to God.

Lord, as this conflict with my fellow worker seeks to occupy my thoughts, I must think of the many refugees in the Middle East, forced out of their homes, villages, jobs, security, possessions and into uncertainty, insecurity, having physical and emotional needs, without safety or the necessities of life, living in tents, sleeping on the ground, never being sure of food the next day. They are without hope, without a future, without peace.

That’s what is actually difficult, not the present uncomfortable conflict I have. Help me to keep this perspective, to remember all you give me every day, Lord: so much good, so much protection, so much provision.

Praise you for your rich, warm, positive, supportive grace and love. Help me to walk in the light of your presence all day long so that you may be glorified through the faith you have given me.

Give me wisdom in how to proceed in the painful conflict before me, remembering that this person is not my enemy. Thank you so much, heavenly Father, that I am not left in this alone, but have your presence, your help, your wisdom. Instead of fighting to win, to protect my ego and my sense of significance and position, I want to focus on who I am in you, and operate out of a position of weakness and humility, for then your power will be made perfect in my life (2 Cor. 12:9,10). Then I can move through these difficulties with others from the solid foundation of your goodness, grace and greatness.

Truly, my soul finds rest in you alone, Lord Jesus. No other can give me what I need, weak and needy as I am. Only you, Lord Jesus are eternal, infinite and perfect. Only you live forever to intercede for me. You have given me worth in creating me in your image, in choosing me before the foundation of the world.

You left all in Heaven to live among rebels and liars, and, for your Father’s glory, to die for all and defeat death. You chose me, called me, you transformed me into a new creature, you adopted me as your son, you have given me your Holy Spirit, you invite me to live with you, work with you, be your partner in all that you are doing. What more could I ask for!?

In you I have significance, for you have made me important with your love. In you I have security, for you have made me safe in your power. In you I have meaning, as you have made me a partner in your plans. In you I have purpose, as you have granted me the possibility of giving you glory in everything I do.

You, O God, are my King, my Lord, my Shepherd, my Protector, my Guide, my Corrector, my Loving Brother. Praise you, Lord Jesus, that in you I am complete, need nothing else and can live a life of giving rather than of getting.

Help me to live in the light of all this truth, to be a spring giving living water, rather than a sponge taking from others, a source rather than a sucker who is dependent on others’ approval and acceptance. In you I already have all that and can trust in you with all my heart.

Praise you, Lord Jesus, that you are the God of completeness, full of far more than I need, always pouring out grace and goodness and greatness into my life. I give you praise and today want to honor you with all my heart. Guide and direct me, Lord, especially in resolving this conflict, that you may be lifted up before all those around me. Amen.

Psalm 25:14 “The LORD confides in those who fear him; ”

[Praise you, Lord God, that your desire is to intimately share your secrets with us, to confide in us, to talk with us through your Word and Spirit. Praise you that in your Fatherhood, you make known to us your heart, your mind, your wisdom.

But you have a requirement: we must first fear you–that is, care deeply what you think and desire, be in proper awe, seek to obey and live for you, not for the thoughts or approval of others.
To fear you is a condition often cited: “The angel of the Lord encamps round about those who fear him and delivers them” (Ps. 34:8). “Fear of man brings a snare, but those who trust in the Lord are safe” (Prov. 29:25). Help me, Lord, to fear you, submitting my thoughts and emotions to your Word and your Spirit.]

“he makes his covenant known to them.”

[Praise you that as we fear you, you reveal to us the deep truths of your Word as we read and study and meditate on it. You are the great and gracious Giver, ever desiring to share. And you call us to receive your goodness and grace so we can glorify you more.]

Psalm 25:15 “My eyes are ever on the LORD,”

[May that always be so in my life, Lord, looking to you, thinking of your desires, alert to your Spirit, checking in with you often during the day, following your lead. Praise you for your good and loving ways that I can ever trust.]

“for only he will release my feet from the snare.”

[Yes, Lord, only you can take me out of temptation’s traps, save me from the sins of my old self, free me from the snares of Satan.

Without you I would wander about in the dark, not knowing what makes me stumble; but in you there is always light, ever increasing illumination on the way, and you release my feet from the weight and sin that so easily entangles (Heb. 12:1). Then I can run in the paths of your Truth, pursuing with endurance the race you have set out before me.

May I run well today, tired in body, but strong in Spirit and soul, serving you with all my heart. I praise you for what you will bring, for how you will guide, for how I can trust you completely. May my life bring you glory, honor and pleasure today, Lord Jesus. Amen]

Psalm 25:10 “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.”

Those who believe and obey you, Lord Jesus, get to experience your loving and faithful ways daily, as you protect, guide, discipline and provide. All your ways are loving with your children, whether they seem that way to us or not.

But it’s different for those who don’t want to keep your covenant—keeping it means believing your Word, being filled with your Spirit in humility and surrender, and walking in obedience to your Truth because we love you. “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psa. 91:1).

When we reject your way, we cut ourselves off from your grace. I think of how you rebuke, chasten and punish those who go their own way: Jacob the deceiver, king Saul the rebel, David the adulterer, Ananias and Sapphira the liars. They didn’t lose their salvation, but cut themselves off from your blessing. Keeping your covenant is the way of life, the other is the way of death. The choice is ours.

You, Lord Jesus, have proven how loving your ways are in purchasing redemption at the cost of great suffering. And with that salvation you also provide all else that we need.  “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3).  You are our Great Shepherd, therefore we shall not lack what is necessary–as your Word says, as our experience says, as the Spirit says.

Glory be to you, O Great and Good God, Supplier of Salvation, Giver of Grace, Lover of Lavishness, Ruler of Righteousness, Shepherd of your Sheep.

To you be glory, honor and praise today in my life, O Lord Jesus. May I keep your covenant, loving you in obedience, glorifying you in trust, exalting you in witness. Amen.

Psalm 25:8 “Good and upright is the LORD; therefore, he instructs sinners in his ways.”

[Praise you, Lord God, that in your goodness, you work in the lives of sinners who do not yet know you, teaching them your ways, how you do things, what leads to light and life. It is so encouraging to know that what you lead in is always good and upright, never into anything wrong, evil, negative, destructive or bad.

You use your creation to show your greatness, your Spirit to convict of guilt, your intervention to show your love, your prayer-answers to show your power, your firmness to show your righteousness and your kindness to show your grace.

Praise you for sending the Word, sending the prophets of old, giving revelation and offering repentance with faith. Your love and care are overwhelming as we look gratefully at them.]

Psalm 25:9 “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”

[Praise you for your further work in those who do respond to your instruction, bringing them to belief and salvation. Praise you then for guiding us in what you know to be right, warning us of what is harmful, disciplining us, guiding us.

Praise you that you teach us your way in which we can walk—this is different from your “ways” mentioned above, meaning how you do things. Your way is how you would have us live, speak and love.

You reveal your way so we can walk with you in it. But we must be humble and teachable, accepting the reality of our innate depravity, our ignorance and our desperate need as believers for your input and guidance. Only you know the right way, only you can guide us as we need. As you told us in John 15:5, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”]

So, I exalt you, my Gracious and Firm Shepherd, for your Good and Wise leading. You are the only One to be followed fully, for you never make an error. Guide me in following you today.

Lord Jesus, your marvelous, rich, infinite and eternal character, leading you to your finished work on the cross, is the basis for our coming to you. In our needs and distress we can cry with the Psalmist:

Psalm 25:6  “Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.”

[Out of these two wonderful qualities of mercy and love, you acted into the world, bringing complete, powerful, full-orbed salvation, freeing us from guilt, shame and fear.

Now, in our day, you continue to act out of the same monumental mercy and long lasting love. It is in you that our trust comes alive. It is your mercy and love that are the grounds for appeal to you. And it is out of love and mercy that you will answer today with what is best, wise and good. We can rest in that truth, praising you now for what you will do without knowing what that will be.

Psalm 25:7 “Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;”

[How can the eternal, infinite all-knowing Creator not remember all the pain-producing rebellion that flowed from my heart and actions? Yet you can choose to do so; you do choose to not remember.

This is different than forgetting; the memory is available, but you willfully do not bring it to mind, for my sin and rebellion have been dealt with in Christ’s marvelous sacrifice. You can put it out of your mind, removing it as far as East is from West.

“according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.”

[You allow us to appeal to your love, which is not just one of your characteristics or qualities which you can choose to exercise or not. No, you are love itself; it is your essence; it is what you are made of, along with life and light. Therefore, we can rest in the ocean of your love and grace, in your endless goodness and forgiveness, confident that we are cherished, delighted in and deeply loved.

What a marvelous, majestic, magnificent, mighty privilege it is to be in your family, to be a child of the King, fully pardoned, free of accusation, resting in your grace and goodness.

We are motivated by your love to respond in amazement and obedience, rejecting the selfish, independent, stubborn, rebellious desires of our natural self. Within the freedom you have given us, we can choose to obey your Word and your Spirit, trusting in you, serving you, loving you.

Praise be to you, Lord God, for you have drawn us into your embrace, and now lead us onward and upward in our walk with you, through the difficulties, dangers and disappointments of this world—all of which fade to nothing in the light of your presence. With our eyes on you, we can say with Asaph, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psa. 73:25).

Be glorified in my life daily, Lord Jesus, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit. May your goodness, grace and glory overflow from my life onto all those I will meet today, so that they may also turn to you. Amen.

As I write this, I am enjoying a perfect, absolutely gorgeous day: pleasantly hazy and sunny, in the 70s with a slight breeze, giving the air a refreshingly cool touch.

Praise be to you, Lord, for such a foretaste of heaven and the new earth, where all will be perfect every day. There we won’t need the challenges of weather or the news to keep us occupied. Your presence and personality, filling all the universe, will be far more than enough to keep us fascinated and focused.

And there are hints that you will have lots of engaging work for us to do there for you. You are such a creative God: there will be no end to the new things you will bring out of your infinite mind and heart.

You, the One and Only True God, are perfect, immutable, lovely, wise, powerful, just, pure, kind, forgiving, gracious and good. You are worthy of our whole-hearted worship, of continual and complete follower-ship, of full obedience, absolute surrender and total trust.

You are far better than anything we could imagine, for in you there is no flaw—we have never experienced anything like that here on earth, where everything has weaknesses, problems, faults and lacks.

But in you there is no lack, no end of supply, no failure, no loss. You are all that is good; you are void of what is bad. I praise you that you cannot sin, you cannot lie, you cannot be tempted with evil, you can do no wrong–for these are the opposite of your beautiful nature.

You are unchangingly pure, consistently positive, absolutely powerful and unceasingly persistent in protection. Therefore, we can call you our Rock, our Fortress, our Defender, our Shield, our Strength, our Stronghold.

You are glorious beyond our knowledge, you are great beyond comprehension, you are good beyond understanding and you are gracious beyond measure.

In you is found all we desire, for we were made to live in you, with you, by you, for you. In you we are complete, with you we are protected, by you we are empowered, for you we can live and work, love and die. Help us to do that today, walking in the light of your lavish love.