The Heartbeat of God

Scriptures: 1 John 4:8, 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, Isaiah 53:7, 2 Corinthians 5:14, 1 John 4:19

LOVE

I John 4:8

O God, You are Love; and I praise You for all Your attributes! Thank You for Your patience and kindness that You show me daily. Thank You that You do not operate from human jealousy or arrogance, but from a pure heart of desire for all of me. Thank You that You did not act unbecomingly or seek Your own; instead, You sought the cross for me. There, thank You for not being provoked and not taking account a wrong suffered; rather, You chose to be oppressed and afflicted, yet You did not open Your mouth. Your steadfast silence brought sweet salvation to my soul! O God, I thank You! Your love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in truth. Your love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Your love never fails. Thank You, Jesus! This is the love You have shown, and faithfully continue to show me, even in my sin. Your love has purchased me; Your love has pardoned me; Your love has redeemed me; O God Your love sustains me! Daily, cause my heart to be controlled by Your love so that I may capture others who are longing for Your life-altering touch. Let my heart operate from this compelling truth: I love because You first loved me!

(In each of the 30 days of The Heartbeat of God devotional, the italicized words are portions of Scripture taken from the NASB. References, listed under the reference tab, are in the order in which they appear in the devotional prayer.)

© Chris Baxter 2014 Ð Clear Day Publishing

Scriptures: Psalms 105:1-3, Isaiah 66:1, Psalms 96:11-13, Isaiah 40:10-11

MAGNIFICENT

Psalm 105:1-3

O God, You are Magnificent! Heaven is Your throne and earth is Your footstool. Your heavens are full of Your splendor, and Your earth is full of Your praise. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar and all it contains; let the field exult and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the Lord … May I, too, join this chorus of thanks and praise. Thank You for Your magnificent wonders; thank You for Your magnificent ways. With one arm You rule with strength and might, defeating my enemies; and with the other arm, You gently gather me close to You like a shepherd who carefully tends his flock. Hear me say, magnificent God, I am glad; and I love You with all my heart!

Scriptures: Isaiah 42:13, Romans 14:17, John 10:10, Ephesians 6:12, Psalms 35:1-3

VALIANT WARRIOR

Isaiah 42:13

O God, You are a Valiant Warrior! You stand for righteousness, peace and joy which You have given freely to all those who believe in You. I thank You, Jesus my Savior, for standing on the “frontline” of the battle, so I could have abundant life in Your kingdom now and forever! Protect me, I pray; for the enemy is angry, as You are winning souls with Your love. In heaven and earth, in hearts and minds, the war wages on … We struggle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and powers and evil forces of this dark world. Protect me from the fiery arrows of fear, dismay, confusion and doubt that the enemy continues to send my direction. Surround me with Your mighty presence; fill me with Your glorious might. Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me. Take up Your buckler and shield and rise up for my help. Take also Your spear and battle ax and say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”

Scriptures: Psalms 94:17-19, Psalms 40:1-3, Psalms 54:4, John 14:16, John 14:26

HELPER

Psalm 94:17-19

O God, You are my helper. I am a weak and defenseless creature who desperately needs saving! Thank You for not overlooking me when I cry out to You … I waited patiently for You; and You inclined to me, and heard my cry. You brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; You set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. You put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to You. O God because of Your saving love, my soul will no longer be silent! Hear me sing, “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul …” For Your Holy Spirit, my helper, now dwells in me forever! You make my gloomy thoughts, joy; You make my anxious thoughts, peace; You make my simple thoughts, wise. O God, Your wonderful ways delight my soul!

Scriptures: Daniel 4:2-3, Psalms 97:1-2, John 1:12, Psalms 9:1-2

MOST HIGH GOD

Daniel 4:2

O God, You are the Most High God! How great are Your signs, and how mighty are Your wonders! Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion is from generation to generation. I praise You; I exalt You; I humbly bow before You. I cherish Your wonders of old: Creator of earth and sustainer of all mankind, master of time, and orchestrator of kings and kingdoms. Nothing escapes You! You have set all things in place, from the first day until the last. You reign; let the earth rejoice … righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne. Most High God, who am I to stand in Your presence or play a part in Your kingdom? To think, because of Your greatest wonder, Jesus King of Love, I have been given the right to become Your child! My face is to the ground; I am baffled; I am awed. Lift me up, and I will give thanks to You with all my heart; I will tell of all Thy wonders. I will be glad and exult in Thee; I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High.

(Italicized words are portions of Scripture taken from the NASB. References, listed under the reference tab, are in the order in which they appear in the devotional prayer.) 

Scriptures: Psalms 24:10, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 2 Kings 6:17, Psalms 34:7, Psalms 91:11, Psalms 148:1-2

LORD OF HOSTS

Psalm 24:10

O God, You are the Lord of Hosts, Captain of the Angel armies! Heavenly and Holy God, by faith, I choose to believe You- as well as all the things “of You” – things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man; I believe all that You have prepared for those who love You! Your angels are part of Your divine kingdom, past, present and future; O God of Heaven and Earth, Your mysteries are marvelous to me! I cannot see the celestial beings nor their chariots of fire; but I know You command Your angels to encamp around those who revere Your name. And I cannot feel the brush of angels’ wings surrounding me, but I believe You have given them charge concerning me, to guard me in all my ways. Nor can I hear their matchless melodies; but I know, O Lord of hosts, they worship You all the day long. Hear my heart sing too, “Glory to God in the highest! You are worthy of all praise! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights! Praise Him all His angels; praise Him all His hosts!” Yes, as long as I have breath, I too, will praise the Lord!

Scriptures: Matthew 5:48, Jeremiah 17:9, Isaiah 59:1-2, John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:18-19

PERFECT ONE

Matthew 5:48

O God, You are the Perfect One … perfect in strength, perfect in beauty, perfect in peace, perfect in righteousness, perfect in love. Heavenly Father, You tell me to be perfect? How can I even begin to be like You? Is there any hope for the heart of man, which is more deceitful than all else and desperately sick? O God, You know our situation; You see our plight. Yet, You say to each one of our hearts: Behold, My hand is not so short that it cannot save. Neither is My ear so dull that is cannot hear. But, your iniquities have made a separation between you and Me, and your sins have hidden My face from you. O God, here is my sin. Please God, take away my sin! I praise You, Father, for Your perfect solution to the marred heart of man: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Thank You, Jesus, for being the unblemished and spotless One who came to redeem my soul! Your precious blood covers me! And only because You live in me can I be perfect, mirroring You in strength, in beauty, in peace, in righteousness, and in love.

Scriptures: Psalms 84:11, Ephesians 5:14, Psalms 31:16, Lamentations 3:22-23

SUN AND SHIELD

Psalm 84:11

O God, You are my Sun and Shield. Your radiant light provides clarity and cleansing, while Your protective hand continually guards and guides. Let me hear You say to my soul each morning, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” O God, just as the sun powerfully rises over the mountain tops, please come, rise, and be beautifully alive in me! Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant; save me in Thy lovingkindness. Continue to turn my face toward You, O God, the living God. Help me to desire the warmth and security found in You alone. Yes, You are my sun and shield. I eagerly anticipate with humble gratitude Your tender mercies, which indeed never cease and Your compassions that never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness.

Scriptures: Psalms 99:5-6, Psalms 93:1-2, Hebrews 4:16, Isaiah 6:3

HOLY ONE

Psalm 99:5-6

O God, You are the Holy One – pure and perfect and powerful – righteous and radiant and rich – majestic and mighty and magnificent. You reign; You are clothed with majesty; You have clothed and girded Yourself with strength; indeed the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting. O Holy God, I worship You on bended knee. I praise You. For at the center of Your holiness, I meditate on Your unfailing love, amazing love. To think You sent Your perfect holy Son, Jesus Christ, so that I may have the way to come boldly to Your throne of grace. Here, I receive mercy from You! O King, I come. Purify my lips and let my voice be heard in unison with the heavenly hosts, singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory.”

Scriptures: Psalms 32:8, Jeremiah 29:13, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalms 25:4-5, Psalms 119:105, 1 Corinthians 2:16

COUNSELOR

Psalm 32:8

O God, You are the wise Counselor. Every day, I need You; I cry out to You; I trust You. Help me to seek You, and search for You with all my heart. Thank You for Your trustworthy promise that I will find You. God of wisdom, You know the plans You have for me, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give me a future and a hope. Thank You for this truth, O God. Give me a heart that seeks You, and only You. Make me know Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth and teach me. For Thou art the God of my salvation. For Thee I wait all the day. Help me to always remember and comply: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Forgive me when I search elsewhere! Direct me to Your light, I pray. In Your Word, I cling to the promise: For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ! Keep me in Your Word, O God, that my mind as well as my path may mirror Yours.

Scriptures: Daniel 7:9-10, Jeremiah 9:24, Isaiah 53:5, Luke 10:20

ANCIENT OF DAYS

Daniel 7:9-10

O God, You are the Ancient of Days! Through the eyes of Daniel: Your vesture is white like snow, and the hair of Your head like pure wool. Your throne is ablaze with flames, and its wheels are a burning fire. You are the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for You delight in these things. In Your lovingkindness, You sought me, saved me, and You now sing to me! In Your justice, You see all things, You know all things, and You will judge all people. In Your righteousness, You redeem, purify, and perfect! Dear sweet Jesus, I am able to stand upright before the Ancient of Days only because of You! You were pierced through for my transgressions; You were crushed for my iniquities. O God, I thank You; and I rejoice exceedingly because my name has been written in the book of life!

Scriptures: Psalms 59:16, Genesis 18:14, Psalms 17:8, Psalms 62:5-6, 2 Corinthians 12:10, Psalms 59:17

STRONGHOLD

Psalm 59:16

O God, You are my Stronghold! Nothing can touch my soul because of You. You surround me with Your lovingkindness; You shield me with Your strength. Nothing is too difficult for You … Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings. There, I am perfectly safe; there, I am sweetly secure; there, I will sing for joy! And even when diverse circumstances start swirling about me, I will proclaim, “My soul will wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken.” O God, I trust You. O God, I need You. O God, I thank You. Even when I am weak, I am strong because of You! Because of You I will rest; because of You I will sing. O my strength, I will sing praises to Thee; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

Scriptures: Luke 15:20, Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 2:4-5, Ephesians 2:8, Esther 5:2, Psalms 139:23-24

GOD OF MERCY

Luke 15:20

O God, You are the God of Mercy! You know the condition of man’s heart: that it is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? You, O God, see us, and You save us! I rejoice! You are rich in mercy, and because of Your great love with which You loved me, even when I was dead in my transgressions, You made me alive together with Christ! … for by grace I have been saved through faith!To think that I have obtained favor in Your sight; and that You, my King, have extended Your scepter to me! What kind of love is this?! I want my life to be a life of gratitude because of Your great mercy and kindness. Pull me close, O God, because I am so prone to wander. Search me, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Thank You for Your continual embrace. In Your arms, I will sing of Your tender mercies forever!

Scriptures: Psalms 27:4, Psalms 84:10, Psalms 19:1-2, Song of Songs 2:2, Psalms 23:6

BEAUTIFUL ONE

Psalm 27:4

O God, You are the Beautiful One. I praise You; I lift my hands high; I love You. Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere. I see Your beauty in the sanctuary of Your heavens … they are telling of Your glory, and their expanse is declaring the work of Your hands. How marvelous is Your handiwork, O God. I also feel Your beauty in the sanctuary of my heart … Your goodness and mercy overwhelms me. Yes, You are the Beautiful One to my soul. Your deep love causes me to be a lily among the thorns. Thank You, my sweet Redeemer. You lift me up; You make all things new. Continue to beautify me, O Beautiful One. Make me a radiant reflection of who You are, so that I too will pour out Your goodness and Your mercy toward others all the days of my life.

Scriptures: Exodus 15:2, Ephesians 1:18-19, Ephesians 3:16, Psalms 18:1, Psalms 18:28-29, Romans 5:5

STRENGTH AND SONG

Exodus 15:2

O God, You are my Strength and Song! I cannot live without You; You are the heartbeat of my life – the very breath I breathe. Cause me to breathe deep, O God, deep into Your wonders, deep into Your love. Continue to open my eyes to the riches of Your glorious inheritance in the saints and to the surpassing greatness of Your power given to those who believe. Dear Jesus, I do believe! I humbly thank You that I am strengthened with power through Your Spirit inside me! Again, I say thank You with all my heart, “I love Thee, O Lord, my strength … For Thou dost light my lamp, the Lord my God illumines my darkness. For by Thee I can run upon a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall … “ yes, I will sing, “I love Thee, O Lord, my strength!”Thank You, Father, for pouring Your love into my heart through the Holy Spirit; Your love abides in me. I thank You, and I praise You! For Your love has become my strength and my song.

Scriptures: John 1:1, Genesis 1, Psalms 29:3-4, John 1:14, Philippians 3:10, Psalms 19:7-8

WORD

John 1:1

O God, You are the Word. From the beginning of time, Your words have brought light and life. You speak, and certainly, it will happen; You command, and surely it will come to pass. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders … the voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is majestic. O powerful and majestic God, to think You, the Word, became flesh and dwelt among us … You have brought light and life to men! And I rejoice because my heart and mind have been captivated by Your Word, Jesus Christ! Thank You for becoming the living and active Word on this earth. Help me to follow in Your footsteps so that I may learn of Your ways. O, that I may know You! I humbly thank You that now, today, I can hold the Word of Life in my hands; help me to hold it in my heart! Jesus, my Savior and my Friend, I praise You for speaking words to me that are sharper than any two-edged sword. Continue to pierce my heart with Your voice of light and life and love! For I know and believe: the law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. I crave Your Word; I need Your Word.

Scriptures: Genesis 22:8, Genesis 22:13, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:32, Psalms 62:5

PROVIDER

Genesis 22:8

O God, You are the Provider. You graciously ordain the ram in the bush, in Your time and in Your way! Please forgive me when I question Your timing and doubt Your ways. Remind me that You cause all things to work together for good, to those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. O God, I do love You! And I do want Your will to be done in my life. So as I patiently wait, I will also eagerly watch. And in this quiet place of trust in You alone, I will remember Your ultimate provision of Your only Son, the sacrificial lamb. O Jesus, You are the “ram in the bush!” Thank You, sweet Savior, for taking my place on the altar. You have provided salvation to my soul! O God, I praise You; my faith is strengthened: if You did not spare Your own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will You not also with Him freely give us all things?Yes, You will provide for all my needs, in Your perfect timing and in Your flawless ways! So, my soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. Thank You, Father, in advance, for Your beautiful provision for my every need.

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:19, Colossians 1:13, Jeremiah 31:3, John 17:22-23, 2 Corinthians 5:14-18

GREAT RECONCILER

II Corinthians 5:19

O God, You are the Great Reconciler! Because of Your unfathomable love, You delivered me from the domain of darkness, and transferred me to the kingdom of Your beloved Son. Thank You for drawing me to Yourself with Your lovingkindness. In this place, You have mercifully chosen not to count my trespasses against me; instead, You faithfully wash them away. Thank You for hearing and answering the plea of Your Son’s heart before He went to the cross, “I ask … that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity.”Because of the cross, I am now a new creature in Christ. Live and reign in me, O God. May Your love compel me to also be a reconciler, bringing others to your throne of marvelous grace and peace.

Scriptures: Psalms 24:7-8, Psalms 24:10, Exodus 33:18-19, Psalms 8:3-5, 2 Chronicles 7:2

KING OF GLORY

Psalm 24:7-8; 10

O God, You are the King of Glory! All power and might belong to You. Heaven is Yours; the earth is Yours; and they are full of Your splendid presence! Continue to open my eyes and show me Thy glory, I pray! May I marvel at all of Your goodness as You unveil it in my life. Incredibly, Your loving heart’s desire is for Your glory to reside and reign in me! O God, when I consider the heavens … what is man, that You take thought of him? And the son of man that You care for him … yet You crown him with glory and majesty! I pray, just as fire came down from heaven and filled the beautiful temple of old with Your glory, please come, fill me! King of glory, come in! Thank You, Jesus, for Your sacrificial love on the cross that has made this possible! Make my purpose in life to be a magnificent display of Your light, causing others to also shout, “Who is this King of Glory? … Please come in, fill me!”

Scriptures: John 14:27, Matthew 11:28-29, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalms 131:2

PEACE

John 14:27

O God, You are Peace. I daily need You to live within my soul. Again and again, You calm my wrestling heart. Through the nail-pierced hand of Christ, You give me serenity! Dear Jesus, when my heart once more begins to be troubled or afraid, help me remember and then respond to Your beautiful invitation of, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Help me, to daily take my worries off of my own shoulders and choose to obey Your voice, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.” O God, I want to learn from You; I love Your gentle words, and I long for Your humble ways! Here, again are my anxious thoughts. Help me now to choose to pray about everything with thanksgiving, so that I may gain Your peace that passes all understanding! I love You, O God of Peace. Always come, and compose and quiet my soul. Make me become like a weaned child who rests against his mother. Yes, make my soul like a weaned child within me.

Scriptures: Psalms 73:25-26, Psalms 19:10, Isaiah 61:7, Psalms 36:7-9

PORTION

Psalm 73:25-26

O God, You are my Portion forever! You give abundantly; You satisfy completely. Nothing on this earth compares to You. Your words to my heart are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. O God, keep me close to You. Continue to fill me with Your power and Your promises. Let me not withhold anything from You, calling it “mine.” I give You my weakness; I give You my sadness; I give You myself. O God, my Father, how You graciously take these from me as an offering! And instead of my shame I will have a double portion … and everlasting joy will be mine! I praise You; I thank You; I lift my hands high! How precious is Thy lovingkindness, O God! I take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. I drink my fill of the abundance of Your house. And You give me to drink of the river of Your delights. For with Thee is the fountain of life. Yes, my heart sings, “You are my portion forever!”

Scriptures: Revelation 1:8, Daniel 2:20-23, Romans 5:8, Isaiah 55:9

ALPHA AND OMEGA

Revelation 1:8

O God, You are the Alpha and Omega – the beginning and the end. You are the “bookends of life,” and You have written every line of every page of every chapter in the story of the past, present and future! For wisdom and power belong to You; You change the times and the epochs; You remove kings and establish kings … to Thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise! As Your story unfolds, my heart rejoices. I see You, Holy God, pursuing a sinful, stiff-necked people with Your love, which was ultimately demonstrated at the cross – Your plan, the climax of Your story! O God of time, You have captured me with this love of Yours. Hold me close to You. I want You to be the Alpha and Omega of my days on this earth. Strengthen my faith, I pray, when I do not understand your path for me; for Your ways are higher than my ways, and Your thoughts are not my thoughts. But, I trust You. Make my story match Yours, no matter the circumstances of the day. Live in me – from morning till night, so that I too may capture people with Your unending love.

Scriptures: Isaiah 55:1-3, Psalms 63:1, Isaiah 41:17-18, John 14:6, John 4:14-15

LIVING WATER

Isaiah 55:1

O God, You are the Living Water! My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water to be found. There is nothing on this earth that satisfies the deep longings of my heart; You created me to crave You! Heavenly Father, I praise You! You promise to answer the afflicted and needy Yourself, saying, “I will open rivers on bare heights, and springs in the midst of valleys, I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land fountains of water.” O God, my soul is satisfied because of Your Son, Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. Through Him, I can delight myself in abundance! Help me to daily respond to Your invitation of “Come.” Help me to daily listen carefully to You that I may truly live.Thank You, Jesus, for the promise in Your words of truth, “Whoever drinks of the water I shall give him… shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” Jesus, each day hear my desperate heart’s cry, “Give me this water!” Come again, today, this day, fill me completely; fill me abundantly.

Scriptures: Isaiah 26:2-4, Psalms 18:31, Psalms 18:1-3, Exodus 33:22, Psalms 61:2-3, Matthew 7:24-25

ROCK ETERNAL

Isaiah 26:3-4

O God, You are the Rock Eternal! You will not be shaken; You will not be moved. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? O Holy One, there is none like You! I choose to trust in You forever. You are my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Thank You, Almighty One, for hiding me in Your cleft so that I may behold Your glory passing by. You, loving Lord, are beautiful to me! Keep my eyes fixed on You, so that I may praise Your name. And when my faith wavers and my heart is faint, lead me back to the rock that is higher than I. For You are a refuge for me, and a tower of strength against the enemy. Yes, I am safe and secure with You. Keep me in Your presence so that I may build my house upon this rock. Because of You, O God of my life, I will not be shaken, I will not be moved.

Scriptures: Luke 1:38, Isaiah 66:1, Psalms 142:7, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Chronicles 28:20, Isaiah 6:8

LORD AND MASTER

Luke 1:38

O God, You are the Lord and Master. Heaven is Your throne, and the earth is Your footstool. The sun, moon and stars all obey You. Dear Lord, I too, want to be under Your authority. I rejoice because You have brought my soul out of prison. By Your cords of mercy and lovingkindness, my heart is bound to You. And now, O Lord, my Lord, Your unfailing love has become my life’s breath! I want to do Your will; I want to obey Your voice! Help me to remember that You will never give me more than I can bear or ask me to do a task that is too difficult. When I begin to weaken with frailty and doubt, please fill me once again, I pray. Help me to respond to Your daily charge over my life: Be strong, courageous and act; do not fear, do not be dismayed. Help me to believe You will not fail me nor forsake me. Continue to make me strong, O God, and please, awaken my soul to courage! When You ask from your majestic throne, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” I want to always be ready and willing to respond with awe, “Lord and Master, here I am, send me!”

Scriptures: Job 38:12, Psalms 19:5, Ezekiel 1:28, Job 38:22, Isaiah 55:12, Psalms 148, Luke 2:7-14

EXQUISITE

Job 38:12

O God, You are Exquisite – exquisite in beauty, exquisite in strength. I see Your glory in the faithful rising of the sun which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, it rejoices as a strong man to run his course. I see Your splendor in the brilliant colors of the rainbow, a timeless wonder of Your radiant presence. I see Your power when You open the storehouses of the snow, causing a peaceful purity to blanket the earth. O how exquisite is Your handiwork, O God! I hear the matchless melody of the morning birds; I hear the trees of the field clapping their hands; I see the breaking of the mighty ocean waves and I feel the whisper of the calming wind. All Your creation gives thanks and praise to Your holy name! And then, I meditate on Your most exquisite work of art – the profound paradox: Jesus, King of Kings, wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. Beauty and strength, humility and grace … angels singing, kings bowing, shepherds rejoicing, and my heart proclaiming, “Exquisite.”

Scriptures: Psalms 16:11, John 10:10, John 15:11, Psalms 18:19, Psalms 139:17, 1 Peter 1:8, Psalms 63:7

JOY

Psalm 16:11

O God, You are my Joy! You fill my heart with laughter; You fill my soul with song. Thank You for coming that I might have life and have it abundantly. And thank You for speaking to me through Your Word so that Your joy may be in me, and that my joy may be made full. God, help me to settle for nothing less than all of You! Thank You for Your exceeding abundance. I delight in You; to think, You delight in me … how precious are Thy thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them … Though I do not see You, I love You, and believe in You; and I greatly rejoice with inexpressible joy!Your love fills me up to overflowing, and a fountain of praise pours from my heart. Sweet Savior, there is no one like You! For You have been my help. And in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy. Yes, I live and I love because of You.

Scriptures: Exodus 17:15, John 15:5, Philippians 4:13, Numbers 6:25-26, Song of Songs 2:4, 2 Timothy 4:7, Romans 8:37

BANNER

Exodus 17:15

O God, You are my Banner! Thank You for Your presence, thank You for Your power. I can do nothing without You; but I can do all things through You! Hold your banner high over me, O Lord; lift up Your countenance upon me, make Your face shine upon me, give me Your peace. I long to do Your will, O Lord; keep me under Your wing. In this place of warmth, I will rejoice that Your banner over me is love! Yes, Your banner was high and lifted up so that I could gain Your love. Thank You, Jesus, for the cross, the banner which was held up for me to gaze upon. My eyes are fixed on You, my Savior. Through You, I can embrace this life set before me. With You as my confidence, I will fight the good fight of faith; and through Your strength working in me, I will win this battle! In all things I will overwhelmingly conquer through You, the one who loves me. God, You are my salvation; You are my victory; You are my banner.

Scriptures: Isaiah 12:2, Psalms 69:1-3, Exodus 15:2, Matthew 17:20, Psalms 18:16-19

SALVATION

Isaiah 12:2

O God, You are my Salvation! My heart is desperate for Your words of life; my soul is destitute for works of love. I cry to You, once again, “Save me, O God, for the waters have threatened my life. I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and a flood overflows me. I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched; my eyes fail while I wait for my God.” O sweet Savior, help me to remember You … Your strength, Your power, Your might, Your love. Make these be the cords that pull me from the tumultuous waves of my fear, my confusion, my doubt, my dismay. Yes, O God, please become my strength, my song and my salvation once again! My faith is as small as a mustard seed, O God; thank You for asking for no more than that. Because of Your unfailing love, I can already cling to these words of hope: He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters, He delivered me from my strong enemy … the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. Yes, my heart and my soul shall soon sing again, “He has become my salvation.”

Scriptures: Proverbs 3:26, Psalms 62:6, Psalms 121:1-7, Psalms 18:33-34, Philippians 4:13

CONFIDENCE

Proverbs 3:26

O God, You are my Confidence! You only are my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. Dear Jesus, I do confess to You, however, that I do not always live this way. Forgive me when my faith wavers, and when my eyes wander, and when my steps weaken. Cause me to remember who You are: God Almighty, Strong Creator, Lord of Hosts, King of Glory. Yes, You are my Banner, my Shepherd, my Peace, and my Defense. Remind me, O Lord, You are the great I AM who is a shield before me and a foundation underneath me. When I am wearily asking, “From where does my help come?” cause me to say with confidence, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” You, O God, will not allow my foot to slip … You are my keeper who neither slumbers nor sleeps. You will protect me from all evil; You will keep my soul. Yes, You make my feet like hinds’ feet, and set me upon my high places. You train my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. Hear me say with renewed faith, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” Yes, You O God, are my confidence.