Never ceases to amaze me

Our Daily Bread
I had fond memories of my own personal experience when I read the devotional today.  God does provide!  When I had cancer at the age of 26, I was a poor seminary student.  There were days when I would get four pieces of mail.  The first three I opened were bills that I didn't have the money to pay.  The fourth envelope would be a check from a friend or relative that I wasn't expecting!  It was enough to pay the bills and get groceries!  Praise God!

My story and the story in the devotional have something else in common -- we were both amazed that God provided and answered our prayers.  Why are we surprised by this?  There are assurances over and over about how God provides for his children.  For me, I think the problem is that I don't always ask for the right things.  When God doesn't answer my prayers for lame things, then I doubt he will answer my valid prayers.  I have seen my valid prayers, prayers of intercession and prayers for my own needs, answered over and over.  I hope you have, too!  Let's pray about that together!

Lord, teach us to pray.  Teach us to trust you.  We thank you and praise you for your faithfulness!

Psalm Sunday
We are read Psalm 123 this week.  It is a four-verse song of ascents.  I am not sure I like the imagery it uses considering we are in the 21st century, but it is still meaningful!

Psalm 123

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to you,
    to you who sit enthroned in heaven.
2 As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
    as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    till he shows us his mercy.
3 Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,
    for we have endured no end of contempt.
4 We have endured no end
    of ridicule from the arrogant,
    of contempt from the proud.

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For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.- Psalm 117:2