5 Thus says the Lord:
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 He is like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Je 17:5–8). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
Abba,
Redemption involves two essential elements…Rescue and Restoration. We are incapable of either. We cannot rescue ourselves; we cannot saved ourselves from the plight of Your wrath against our sin. And we certainly have no power to transform us into what You created us to be! We cannot, as the old expression goes, “Pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.” We are weak and helpless to either rescue or restore ourselves. This is the bad news.
The good news is…You are able. You can do both. You provide rescue and restoration for us. Through Your glorious plan of redemption, You offer both through our repentance and faith! What grace this is! What power! What compassion! What majesty!
Abba, we plead with You today to fill our hearts and minds with awe and wonder at the glorious truth of the redemption; the rescue and restoration, You provide! Rescue us from ourselves! Destroy the hold of this world’s idols from within our hearts and capture us with grace so amazing that it would willingly surrender to suffering and death to extend redemption!
Abba, forgive us for every time we allow the passions of our hearts to be taken captive by lesser things. Oh how our hearts break at how often this is true of us. Even now they tug and pull at us. Perhaps even being so deeply imbedded that we don’t even recognize the danger and peril we are in because of their presence. Capture our hearts, Oh King of the Universe! May the majesty and grandeur of Your name arrest our attention. May the pleasures of this world be merely tools to propel us towards you with increasing fervor! Capture our hearts and may we never let go!
We love you!
Amen.
“Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength,
whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 He is like a shrub in the desert,
and shall not see any good come.
He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,
in an uninhabited salt land.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
whose trust is the Lord.
8 He is like a tree planted by water,
that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
for it does not cease to bear fruit.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Je 17:5–8). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
Abba,
Redemption involves two essential elements…Rescue and Restoration. We are incapable of either. We cannot rescue ourselves; we cannot saved ourselves from the plight of Your wrath against our sin. And we certainly have no power to transform us into what You created us to be! We cannot, as the old expression goes, “Pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps.” We are weak and helpless to either rescue or restore ourselves. This is the bad news.
The good news is…You are able. You can do both. You provide rescue and restoration for us. Through Your glorious plan of redemption, You offer both through our repentance and faith! What grace this is! What power! What compassion! What majesty!
Abba, we plead with You today to fill our hearts and minds with awe and wonder at the glorious truth of the redemption; the rescue and restoration, You provide! Rescue us from ourselves! Destroy the hold of this world’s idols from within our hearts and capture us with grace so amazing that it would willingly surrender to suffering and death to extend redemption!
Abba, forgive us for every time we allow the passions of our hearts to be taken captive by lesser things. Oh how our hearts break at how often this is true of us. Even now they tug and pull at us. Perhaps even being so deeply imbedded that we don’t even recognize the danger and peril we are in because of their presence. Capture our hearts, Oh King of the Universe! May the majesty and grandeur of Your name arrest our attention. May the pleasures of this world be merely tools to propel us towards you with increasing fervor! Capture our hearts and may we never let go!
We love you!
Amen.