DAY 1 Prayer Focus – Response – Surrender

Friends this is the second devotional for today a response to this morning. Desiring not to leave the work of the Holy Spirit unacknowledged I feel I need to share an evening response to the morning devotional – You won’t understand this response if you haven’t read this mornings devotional for Day 1 of Praying September. Take a few minutes to spend with God sharing your own thoughts and how you are hearing God speak. Until tomorrow may God’s blessings surround you.

AN EVENING RESPONSE –

At the close of the day the words from scripture have brought to mind some ideas and notions I would rather remain buried in the deep recesses of my heart, but it is in that place that a circumcision took place to remove the anguish and even despair

I thought about the men who carried the man to Jesus at all cost. What if the outcome would have had a different result. Of course we have to read a little deeper into this story from the other Gospels: Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, and Luke 5:17-25.

I have to share that after reading the few short verses I read and shared this morning from Mark 2:1-5 as I looked for the simple answer and turned to each Gospel account it doesn’t say that the man was physically healed in Luke until a little later.  I felt shaky – did these men carry their friend all the way just to receive forgiveness for themselves? I thought as I contemplated in my heart the person I have been praying for today for physical healing without considering the ultimate healing of the soul. 

Not only did this man according to Luke leave healed of this infirmity but left joyously. How did the four who carried him there, it doesn’t really say. We can only assume that they left forgiven but did they receive it.

How did my praying for that one person today actually there were a couple I was earnestly praying for including for grief, for travel, for healing, for hope, and for those searching for more. How did it change me? My journal will reflect that it kept me from being so selfish in my thoughts, coming to grips with the deep pain in my heart because I have not surrendered it to God.  

My prayer at the end of the day will be two fold – Remove those things that I have not yet surrendered that keep me from drawing nearer to you and teach me unselfish love for you and others in the way I pray.

Lord hear my prayers as I surrender the night to you, be in my sleep, speaking to my soul and transforming me into being better for you. Amen