Prayer To Make Good Use Of What Seems Like Leftovers

 I’m not good with crafts like sewing or knitting.  Anyone who knows me can tell you stories.  The last sewing project (other than sewing on a button or hemming a pair of pants) was in Grade 8 in a home economics class.  We made an apron and a pleated blue surge skirt.  I can still remember it.  What does that tell you? 

But I was thinking about the left over material that sits on the table or the floor after the pattern pieces of an outfit have been cut out.  Some folks are able to do all kinds of creative things with these leftovers.  Some friends of mine, young mothers with new babies, have started sewing baby clothes from recycled clothes.  Aren’t they just adorable?  (https://www.instagram.com/refashionedrompers/)

Well, we were praying from Psalm 40 yesterday and when our time was up I looked at what was left in the Psalm and decided we just needed to continue today.  So here we are.  Let’s reach out for God’s heart today along with the writer of this Psalm.

I tell everyone everywhere the truth of your righteousness. And you know I haven’t held back in telling the message to all. I don’t keep it a secret or hide the truth. I preach of your faithfulness and kindness, proclaiming your extravagant love to the largest crowd I can find! Psalm 40:9-10

Heavenly Father, we’re so grateful that we can live in Your truth and Your faithful love and kindness today.  Your goodness poured into our lives truly is extravagant and even though we can’t gather together in large crowds either at church or in the community, we can still share the message of Your goodness far and wide.  Help us to do that with kindness and grace today.  There’s too much bad news out there.  We want to hold up Your Good News so it doesn’t get lost and seem hidden under all the loud voices that demonstrate for all sorts of other issues.

So Lord, don’t hold back your love or withhold your tender mercies from me. Keep me in your truth and let your compassion overflow to me no matter what I face.  Psalm 140:11

We know it’s never too often to ask You every day to keep us in Your truth and to let Your compassion overflow to us no matter what we face.  If ever we needed a fresh experience of Your love, today would be the day.  Help us to be conscious of that great love today.

Evil surrounds me; problems greater than I can solve come one after another. Without you, I know I can’t make it. My sins are so many! I’m so ashamed to lift my face to you. For my guilt grabs me and stings my soul until I am weakened and spent. Please, Lord! Come quickly and rescue me! Take pleasure in showing me your favor and restore me.  Psalm 40:12-13

And Lord, it’s not just the problems we face in relation to the pandemic, although that certainly brings problems that are greater than we can solve and so we need Your help with those.  But we also look at our own hearts, our own shortcomings, our own sins, those things that bring us guilt and sting our sould until we are weakened and spent.  Along with the writer of this Psalm, we ask You Lord, to please come and quickly rescue us.  Take pleasure in forgiving us our sins as we turn from them and humbly turn to you.  Show us favour and restore us, we pray.

Let all who passionately seek you erupt with excitement and joy over what you’ve done! Let all your lovers rejoice continually in the Savior, saying, “How great and glorious is our God!”  Lord, in my place of weakness and need, I ask again: Will you come and help me? I know I’m always in your thoughts. You are my true Savior and hero, so don’t delay to deliver me now, for you are my God. Psalm 40:16-17

And so Lord, we look forward to a day of joy in Your loving presence, serving You because You are so amazing, and finding our hearts at rest because at whatever points we feel weak and in need and turn to You, asking You to come and be with us, You will help us because we are always in your thoughts.  You are our true Saviour and hero.  You are our God.  Amen

I can’t tell you how much my heart is lifted up when I let these faithful words from God’s heart, recorded in the Bible wash over me and remind me of all that is true and unchanging in these challenging times.  I pray that will be your experience today as well.