Day 2: Music From Your Heart
Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:18-20).
Our Father, we have so much to be grateful for! You have blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1:3). And You have given us every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). The psalmist invites us, Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name (Psalm 100:4).
We thank You for the special gift of music—a gift You gave from the dawn of creation when the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy (Job 38:7). We thank You that the never-ending melody will ring Your praises through eternal ages.
We praise You Lord, with humble gratitude for inviting us into the sweet strains of that eternal song—into Your holy presence, where there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Tune our hearts to hear and to sing the music of heaven—the music of praise, the music of adoration, the music of thanksgiving.
All around us, the negative messages of the world seek to drown out the joy, and praise and hope of Your kingdom, but You have given us Your Spirit, by whom we are led into all the truth (John 16:13). By Him, You put a new song in our mouth, a hymn of praise to our God (Psalm 40:3).
You have promised us, O Lord Almighty, that You will give the Holy Spirit to all who ask (Luke 11:13). So we ask You, loving Father to abide with us through Your Spirit. Help us to keep on being filled with the Spirit's power and truth. Fill our hearts with Your beauty, light and goodness, so we do not consume, or become consumed by the chaos, confusion, and destruction of this world.
We pray for those who are most vulnerable and impressionable—in particular our young—whose hearts and minds may be susceptible to destructive influences and harmful messages. Help us to guard them with our prayers, with discernment, and with loving oversight and wise correction. Help us to surround and defend them with hope and joy in place of darkness and despair.
Teach us to walk daily in gratitude—examples of godliness with contentment (1 Timothy 6:6)—thanking You for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Teach us to count our blessings, speaking to one another in the language of praise and thankfulness. Fill our hearts with the melody of heaven—with songs, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.
For [You], Lord are good and [Your] love endures forever; [Your] faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5).
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