Corona Devo 129

Is it "against the rules" to pray for blessings?  Should we feel guilty about asking God for good things?  

I went through a (brief!) period in my faith where I tried to teach-myself-to-feel/live with an "ascetic" approach to life, which means "a severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence" because I thought this might be more pleasing to God.  Not only did I not last long, but more importantly, I realized that the Lord has never asked that of us.  Over and over in the Bible He speaks of His love for us and He came so that we could have a full life (I came so that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly.  ~John 10:10)  

Have you ever considered praying for God's blessing, bounty and harvest in your life and over it?  

Why not?

And why not today?  

Psalm 144 leads us:

12 May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants.

May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace.  ~Psalm 144:12

Lord, what a beautiful image and prayer for our children and the young people of our Country and all of Your young people.  May they flourish: we DO flourish when we feel love and purpose from You; our Maker and Redeemer.  May our young people know You and know that they belong to You.

May they stand tall and with pride as children of God, like well-nurtured plants or graceful pillars.  Aware of themselves and their capabilities in You.

13 May our barns be filled with crops of every kind.   ~Psalm 144:13

I love this prayer and image of bounty.  For me, this sounds like when I get home from grocery shopping and kitchen is fully-stocked with every edible that our hearts can desire.  In our house, no one likes to unload groceries, but everyone loves perusing the refrigerator and pantry when they are brimming with "crops of every kind".  

This blessing also goes beyond food.  Pray it over your life, and work to recognize God's bounty.  So many times we are busy rushing or worrying and we miss how very full our "barns" are.  

We are all different, so our "barns" and desires are different, but God knows each of us individually and He delights in blessing us.

  

May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands, even tens of thousands   ~Psalm 144:14

It is okay to ask for the Lord's blessing.  And each of our "flocks" may look different.  Perhaps this could be a request to multiply our stock "flock", our savings account "flock", or our college-fund "flock".  If we are wise with our money, good stewards with it, and honor the Lord with it: there is no shame in asking the Lord to bless this area of our lives.  

Or could the request to multiply "the flocks" be referring to the "ripple effect" that we can have with our lives in touching others for Christ?  Can we be a stone thrown in the world's pond, and our life's ripples can touch others in the name of Christ.  Yes, Lord--for Your name and to further Your glory: May the flocks in our fields multiply by the thousands, even tens of thousands.   ~Psalm 144:14

14  and may our oxen be loaded down with produce.   ~Psalm 144:14

"Produce" conjures up images of fresh goods.  They are here for a season.  They will perish, and we should enjoy them while they last.  Think strawberries, peaches, or tomatoes.  But also think of the "stage" that your children are in: whether infant, children, teens or adults--this "season" of life with them is perishable.  We should enjoy them right now.  

Consider all of your areas in life (marriage, job, Corona-pace, retirement, hobbies), and enjoy the harvest right now.  I believe that most of us are loaded down with produce, but we are often too busy, cranky or tired to appreciate it.  God has more for us.

And with each season in both farming and our lives, come new harvests.  Enjoy today's "produce", and rest in the truth that with each new season the Lord provides different blessings.

This is such a beautiful image to envision (and prayer to request!), even if we no longer use oxen to transport our goods.  Yes, Lord: "may our oxen be loaded down with produce".  

May there be no enemy breaking through our walls, no going into captivity, no cries of alarm in our town squares. ~Psalm 144:14

Let us guard our heart, minds and cities with this prayer.  Especially pertinent today: we must lean into Christ for our freedom in thought and deed.  We cannot let the enemy penetrate our mental walls, or take us captive to worry or fear.  And we do ask the Lord's blessing on our cities and that there would be no (more) cries of alarm in our town squares.

15 Yes, joyful are those who live like this!  Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord.  ~Psalm 144:15

It is a process, of course.  We pray and submit ourselves to the Lord and we seek His blessing on our lives.  And there are trials and tribulations in each season.  

But there is an overarching effect on those who give God the reins.  On those who spend time in His word and in teaching His word to their sons and daughters.  

We will feel it in our hearts and in our souls.  Our desires and satisfactions will mesh with God's desires and satisfactions.  We will experience it in our barns, our flocks and our loaded oxen.  And so much of it has to do with our gratitude in recognizing that everything that we have comes from the Lord, and He has given us much.  Let that produce joy in you.  Yes, joyful are those who live like this!  Joyful indeed are those whose God is the Lord.  ~Psalm 144:15

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com/