The sun came up today, bringing with it hope, possibility and promise. It is a new day. A new beginning. A fresh start. A clean slate. These are things I don’t deserve, but as the sun rises every morning, God gives me these good gifts new each day. Never underestimate the power and the value of a new beginning. Unsought, unasked, undeserved – nevertheless these gifts are mine when I wake. They are part of God’s provision for me of manna and of mercy, new every morning. Everything I need to face another day with courage, compassion and conviction, God supplies out of His infinite resources.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we (I) are (am) not consumed, for His compassions (mercies) never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Lord, please bring Your assurance into my uncertainty. Bring Your clarity into my clouded vision. I desire Your order to replace my chaos, Your calm in the middle of my storm. Lord, I ask for Your comfort in my pain, Your healing of my hurts, Your abiding Presence when I am all alone.

Lord, this world needs Your peace to permeate our conflict, Your unity to overcome our division and Your truth to dispel all deceptions that lead us away from You and keep us captive. Lord, let Your love overcome our hate, Your goodness win out over our evil. Let Your faithfulness overcome our propensity to doubt You.

Heavenly Father, today, help me to do what Your words in Romans 12:9-13 instruct me to do. May I love sincerely, hate what is evil; cling to what is good. May I be devoted to others, honoring others above myself. Enable me to persevere in doing what pleases You. Make me joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, always generous and hospitable.

Let these words be my guide in everything.

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)

Lord, Your abiding Presence with me is peace, is comfort, is hope, is joy, is life itself.

Isaiah said the train of Your robe filled the temple. Indeed, Your Presence fills all the earth.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

You, Lord, fill everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:23)

Fill the earth with Your glorious Presence, fill my heart, fill every heart to overflowing with Your mercy and Your goodness. May Your lovingkindness fall over all You have made.

“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.” (Psalm 145:9)

Your Presence, Lord, makes all the difference to me.

“Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” (Psalm 84:10)

Your Presence, Lord, is that precious. It is life, it is abundant life, it is eternal life.

sincerely, Grace Day