Heavenly Father, I praise You for the wisdom the Holy Spirit gives us in understanding and applying Your word to our lives. I praise You for bringing preachers, speakers, and authors into our lives to illuminate Your word to us in a better mental picture. I praise You for giving me the intelligence to learn and grow.
Holy Spirit You inspired David to write and I am going to extrapolate on to broaden my prayer today: You are my shepherd and so I have all I need. I realize that I am short-sighted and not the brightest being one of Your sheep, but I am valued by You to the point You laid down Your life for me. You lead me and let me lay down in green pastures so that I can feed, grow and build spiritual muscles to be ready to take on the day and fulfill the purpose You made me for. You lead me by still waters so I can drink, not be swept away, but drink deeply of the eternal water that You spoke to the woman at the well about. Because I am Yours and I bear the title of Christian or follower of the way, You are constantly renewing my mind, making sure I am completely focused on the path I am supposed to walk and I am ready to face each day, spiritually healthy. As I walk through life I will definitely walk through valleys and at times not be able to see what is above or ahead, yet I will not fear. For I know your staff will prod and push me the right way and that Your rod will destroy anything that attempts to kill or destroy me or my faith. I am assured that You will never leave nor forsake me because of the cross and the empty tomb. You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. I realize that You feed and build me constantly even though evil surrounds me while I live on this earth. The accuser, Satan, is lurking to destroy me at all times, but I need to focus only on You as Peter did when he stepped out of the boat, as Daniel did when tossed into the den of lions, the three men thrown into the fiery furnace, David when he faced Goliath, Peter when he was jailed, Paul and Silas when they were beaten, chained in the center of the prison, Steven when he was being stoned. My faith must focus only on You, even though my table sets in the presence of my enemies. You anoint me with Your Holy Spirit until I exude Your Spirit out to others. You will pursue me and encourage me as I run my race cheering me on and supplying goodness and love until my race has been run. I will dwell in Your presence while You live in this earthly temple all the days that I take a breath on this earth. When I take my last, I will finally be home and in Your presence for eternity, finally fulfilling my true purpose. [Psalm 23]
Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for God is well pleased with such sacrifices. Obey those who rule over you and be submissive for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. For we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. But I especially urge you to do this, …. Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen (Hebrews 13:14-21)