Tuesday 6th January

Quiet your heart and mind. Consider breathing deeply and exhale slowly. Listen deeply. What words of praise do you hear in your soul?

“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song."

Psalm 95:2

Ponder: Sing a short song of praise. Sit quietly and let it ring on inyour heart.

Scripture

Lord, our Lord, 
    how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory 
    in the heavens. 
Through the praise of children and infants 
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies, 
    to silence the foe and the avenger. 
 When I consider your heavens, 
    the work of your fingers, 
the moon and the stars, 
    which you have set in place, 
 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, 
    human beings that you care for them?
 You have made them a little lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor. 
 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; 
    you put everything under their feet: 
all flocks and herds, 
    and the animals of the wild, 
 the birds in the sky, 
    and the fish in the sea, 
    all that swim the paths of the seas. 
Lord, our Lord, 
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8

First, pray this prayer for yourself. Read it 2 more times slowly. How does it bless you or help you?

God’s triumph in the world 

“You have taught children and infants to proclaim your strength; thus you have silenced your enemies and all who oppose you." 

God’s greatest triumph in the world is humanity’s vulnerability. It is the awareness of not living up to expectations. While testosterone-fueled men retreated in fear, God raised up among them a small, faithful woman: Deborah. 

Among so many experienced soldiers, it was through David’s heart that God chose to demonstrate his strength and precision. He took on the great battle but rejected the armour he could not carry.

When the twins Esau and Jacob were born, it was the younger who was chosen to rule over the older, because God chose the least expected one. He is the one who prays, ‘I will not let you go until you bless me.’ 

God the Son became as tiny as an egg and taught us true humanity when he showed himself to be tired and cried out, ‘I am thirsty!’ 

He could have done everything alone, but he chose to include us. Just as a father delights in his baby’s first words, simply for the pleasure of being together, so does the Lord show himself to us as we offer our best and stumble through our worst. 

So, the question remains: where is your vulnerability taking you? Will you hide behind your achievements, gifts and intelligence, or will you bring your weakness, fear, inadequacies and guilty pleasures to God in search of transformation? Our vulnerability is not an accident; but an invitation to form relationships.

Fabiano Goulart, Diretor Member Care LatAm, Brasil  

Now ask God who you can pray this prayer for. Write out the prayer related to them. Ask God if you should send it to them.

Kids’ Question: If you could ask anyone for help, who would it be and why?