The Right Attitude

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day:   “This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2)

Memory verse: Psalm 90:14

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  

Today's reading:  NEHEMIAH 12-13 ACTS 4:23-37

Attitude for Prayer

“This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2)

Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

These verses are hard. Why? We live in America-the land of the 'free' where oppression can be overcome by law and order, etc,  etc.

Our opulence has given us a false sense of greatness. Greatness is in the heart and is in the heart that belongs to our great God in Christ Jesus. God is great-alone.

These verses tell us what our attitude should be when we go to God in prayer. So let's look at them.

Humility is known to those who have a broken and contrite heart that trembles.

Contrite means stricken or smitten. Our God is a consuming fire(Hebrews 12:29). He is Lord of heaven and earth and holds all power-awful and wonderful-in His grasp. This God invites us to come and reason(Isaiah 1:18)

So, our great God desires us to talk to Him but He wants us to have the right attitude. We consider how great he is(hallow His name)and are stricken with awe-if we completely consider His reality-here is the key for me: the word 'broken'. The word broken translates with a positive note to it-it is broken to 'bring forth'-to 'give birth to'.

Anyone who has given birth or witnessed a birth knows what trembling is. Jesus talked about a woman who goes through the travail of birth but soon forgets due to ecstasy of new life. (John 16:21-23)

How should we pray? We should approach God with a heart that is breaking to experience His glory and expects this encounter to bring forth more of His abundant joy and life.

How we look at prayer is how we look at God. If we don't take God seriously, we will rattle off empty words to get it over with. If God is awe-inspiring to us, we will pray in excited humility and that will make some tremble...

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Master and creator, righteous God, fill me with awe. Let me experience You. Have mercy on me in my sin. Forgive me.

Merciful and gentle God,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen