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| Emmanuel Bethel Church |
Today's devotions include one of my most memorable Psalms: 'May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer', Psalm 19:14. This Psalm of David, was first sung and prayed by David, who sought to live a life pleasing to God.
I think I may have heard that psalm prayed in the early 1970's for the first time by my then pastor, Rev. Walter H. Harrell of Emmanuel Bethel Church, who always began each sermon with those words before preaching. I am guessing that Reverend Harrell had no idea how his praying that Psalm impacted me at that time. Even though it would seem that as a pastor, he had a special need to pray that psalm before his sermon, every one of us has a constant need to be guided in our meditation, and then in our words and actions as we try to live out our calling each day.
In following Pastor Harrell's example, I have since tried to remember and pray this psalm at various times in my life when I sought God's leading. And now, some 40 years later, I still quietly pray this psalm during devotions and during busier times of life. As Christians, we often check ourselves with the question 'What would Jesus do?' We remember that Jesus' whole life and ministry was one of 'example'. Even today, Jesus' example serves as a reminder that our actions will also set the example for others, our children and all others whose path we cross.
Our unspoken prayer can be O LORD, PLEASE LET MY THOUGHTS, WORDS, AND ACTIONS THIS DAY BE ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL, AMEN.
I think I may have heard that psalm prayed in the early 1970's for the first time by my then pastor, Rev. Walter H. Harrell of Emmanuel Bethel Church, who always began each sermon with those words before preaching. I am guessing that Reverend Harrell had no idea how his praying that Psalm impacted me at that time. Even though it would seem that as a pastor, he had a special need to pray that psalm before his sermon, every one of us has a constant need to be guided in our meditation, and then in our words and actions as we try to live out our calling each day.
In following Pastor Harrell's example, I have since tried to remember and pray this psalm at various times in my life when I sought God's leading. And now, some 40 years later, I still quietly pray this psalm during devotions and during busier times of life. As Christians, we often check ourselves with the question 'What would Jesus do?' We remember that Jesus' whole life and ministry was one of 'example'. Even today, Jesus' example serves as a reminder that our actions will also set the example for others, our children and all others whose path we cross.
Our unspoken prayer can be O LORD, PLEASE LET MY THOUGHTS, WORDS, AND ACTIONS THIS DAY BE ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL, AMEN.
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