[Membersandfriends] Sunday, September 19, 2004

Sat Sep 18 22:02:23 PDT 2004

The Upper Room Daily Devotional -- E-mail Edition
Brought to You by Upper Room Ministries
Sunday, September 19, 2004

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READY OR NOT
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Isaiah 40:1-11 (NRSV)

Comfort, O comfort my people,
     says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
     and cry to her
that she has served her term,
     that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
     double for all her sins.

A voice cries out:
"In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
     make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be lifted up,
     and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
     and the rough places a plain.
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,
     and all people shall see it together,
     for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

A voice says, "Cry out!"
     And I said, "What shall I cry?"
All people are grass,
     their constancy is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
     when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
     surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades;
     but the word of our God will stand forever.
Get you up to a high mountain,
     O Zion, herald of good tidings;
lift up your voice with strength,
     O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,
     lift it up, do not fear;
say to the cities of Judah,
     "Here is your God!"
See, the Lord GOD comes with might,
     and his arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
     and his recompense before him.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd;
     he will gather the lambs in his arms,
and carry them in his bosom,
     and gently lead the mother sheep.

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Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
-- 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)
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WHEN Lynn and Matthew, a single mom and her newborn son, moved in with us, Lynn asked me to teach her how to pray.  The next morning when the family had left for the day and Matthew was finally asleep, I was looking forward to my quiet time.  I was surprised when Lynn knocked on my door.  I invited her in, but told her I was praying.  "That's why I'm here," she said.  She sat on the floor and crossed her legs.  "Go ahead and pray!  Just pretend I'm not here, but pray out loud so I can hear."

I tried closing my eyes.  That didn't work.  I began to aimlessly flip through my Bible.  "Pray the scriptures," the Holy Spirit whispered to me, leading me to Isaiah 40:1-11.  I read aloud, "Comfort my people. . . . he gently leads those that have young."

"Whoa!  Where's that from?" Lynn asked.

We met often.  She imitated me as she prayed for Matthew.  Lynn is now a wife and mother of two, and Matthew is six years old.  Lynn is ready to "give the reason" for her hope in Christ.  She knows God's comfort.  She'll pray with anyone, out loud, and so will Matthew!

Prayer:  O God, thank you for those who have taught us about you and taught us how to pray.  Help us to do the same for others.  Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Each of us can make a difference in someone's life.

-- Jeanne M. Phelan (Florida, U.S.A.)

PRAYER FOCUS: Single parents

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RELATED READING ...

Written by Christian educator and mother Betty Cloyd, CHILDREN AND PRAYER helps parents enrich the prayer lives of their children and bring God into their lives. Cloyd provides prayers and rituals to use with children and answers the difficult questions children and adults often ask about God.
http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/desc.asp?ep_id=30&item_id=12539

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The scripture quotation is from the NEW REVISED STANDARD VERSION of the Bible, copyright (c) 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.