Prayer Focus

I’ve been reading The Upper Room devotionals lately, and they each end with a “Prayer Focus.”  So today, as I was looking at different things on the internet and praying about them, I thought I’d get back into blogging by posting my “prayer focus” for these articles, events, etc.

The first today was from The Upper Room devotional, with stated prayer focus being the “neglected areas of our spiritual life” and the prayer, “Dear God, help us to set aside the distractions of daily life and to draw closer to you. Amen.”  http://devotional.upperroom.org/devotionals/2013-09-12.  I had just been thinking of this recently, and my God is so wonderful to confirm through this devotional the conviction I’ve been sensing, and to open my heart to making changes in the way I live.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (PHILLIPS)

^15-17 Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days. Don’t be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God.

The second was an article about an obituary written about a woman about whom it was said, “Everyone she met, adult or child was tortured by her cruelty and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred of the gentle or kind human spirit.”  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/11/marianne-theresa-johnson-reddick-obituary_n_3907271.html  The focus of my prayers after reading this is for those who are abused, and their abusers, those who are themselves tortured and torture others with “cruelty and exposure to violence, criminal activity, vulgarity, and hatred” as well as those who may be innocently accused of abuse … and the issue of torture also makes me think of and pray for those who are tortured and persecuted for their faith – and their families - like Pastor Saeed Abedini:  http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/August/ACLJ-Pastor-Saeed-Fainting-from-Prison-Injuries/

Matthew 5:10-12 (KJV)

¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

 The third prayer focus I have for today is for those with food allergies or those who have children or other loved ones with food allergies (as well as paramedics, doctors, nurses, those who treat and / or watch over our children and loved ones):  http://living.msn.com/family-parenting/mom-to-mom-blog-post/?post=1d2f809c-49cc-408c-aeb3-f9491d14055f

Psalm 103:6-18 (MSG)

^6-18 God makes everything come out right;
    he puts victims back on their feet.
He showed Moses how he went about his work,
    opened up his plans to all Israel.
God is sheer mercy and grace;
    not easily angered, he’s rich in love.
He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold,
    nor hold grudges forever.
He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve,
    nor pay us back in full for our wrongs.
As high as heaven is over the earth,
    so strong is his love to those who fear him.
And as far as sunrise is from sunset,
    he has separated us from our sins.
As parents feel for their children,
    God feels for those who fear him.
He knows us inside and out,
    keeps in mind that we’re made of mud.
Men and women don’t live very long;
    like wildflowers they spring up and blossom,
But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
    leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always,
    eternally present to all who fear him,
Making everything right for them and their children
    as they follow his Covenant ways
    and remember to do whatever he said.

... and my journey with Him continues ...