20 Feb March 10th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE  CHURCH AT THESSALONICA

A PRAYER FOR YOU

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

The words of today’s devotional verse are a prayer St. Paul prayed for the Thessalonian Christians.  Using the words of his prayer, I send this prayer to the heart of our merciful and loving Father in heaven in your behalf today. How awesome it is for me to pray for you today.

This prayer is directed to the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loves you and by His grace has adopted you to be His very own that you may live in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.  It is by His grace that He today encourages you not matter whatever will come your way, no matter how trivial or how monumental.  God cares for you and about you so much that He has numbered the hairs on your head. Not one strand can fall from your head without God knowing. (Luke 12:7)

God through His grace fills you with hope (not a wish, but a certainty) that since He is with you and cares about what happens to you nothing will be able to separate you from His love which is yours in Christ Jesus.  (Romans 8:31ff)

Therefore, I pray for you, “May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts, and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”

Go now into your day and continue in your day knowing that God will bless you and keep you ever in His care.  He will provide all you need to support your body and life.  He will defend you from all danger, guard and protect you from all evil.  All of this He will do for you out of His Divine mercy for your good and to His glory for Jesus’ sake.

Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer,

Pilgrim through this barren land,

I am weak, but Thou art mighty;

Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand.

Bread of heaven, bread of heaven,

Feed me till I want no more;

Feed me till I want no more.

Open now the crystal fountain

Whence the healing stream doth flow;

Let the fiery, cloudy pillar

Lead me all my journey through.

Strong deliv’rer, strong deliv’rer,

Be Thou still my strength and shield;

Be thou still my strength and shield.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Death of death and hell’s destruction,

Land me safe on Canaan’s side.

Songs of praises, songs of praises

I will ever give to Thee;

I will ever give to Thee.

(LSB 918)