Day 7- WORSHIP

                                                                                                                                                                                            Psalm 66

PRAYER DEVOTION:

Lord, I come to worship You. Yet my mind is so full of me. My focus is my family, my friends and my work. My past successes and failures consume me. My present trials and joys obsess me. My future hopes and dreams drive me. I think about how others treat me and how circumstances affect me.

And when I come to You, I confess my first thought is of me. What will You do for me?  What problems can You solve for me? What burden can You lift for me? What power or strength will You supply me so I can be better?  Forgive me, for worshipping me.  Maybe even as I am consumed with me I find You in how You have given Yourself for me.

When I think of You as Creator it is because of the brilliant flowers You have created to touch my life with beauty. Every spire of grass, every breath of air, each refreshing drink of water, every delicious taste of food was made to minister to me as a member or Your family. Your grace is most evident because of a needy sinner like me. Your selflessness is apparent as I recall you laid aside all heaven to come and give Yourself to me so that I might live with You forever. Your righteousness is a glorious purifying fire to consume my sin as You live in me. Yon have always been and as I look back on my life. I sense Your guiding hand. I feel You drawing me today. I know You are planning for us for the tomorrows. Your unending love to me, Your desire for me, Your patience with me cause me to marvel.

And somewhere, as I see how you have intertwined yourself with me, my heart is stirred to true praise, to focus on You and be amazed, like the Psalmist, with You as my God.

Scripture Study

Read Psalm 66

1.       For what is the Psalmist calling me to praise God? Psalm 66:3

For what specific Biblical event is the Psalmist praising God? Psalm 66:6-7

               

Why is this event such a focal point?

               

For what main event would I praise God in my life?

2.       How did God "refine" Israel? Psalm 66:10

What type of refining is needed in my fife?

                               

Where is God testing me?

                               

Has He tested me here before?

               

Where did Israel end up?

               

Where does God want to take me?

               

What will I be like after this refining?

               

3.       What vows might have the Psalmist made?

What promises have I made to God?

               

What offering can I bring to thank Him?

4.       Whom can I tell what God has done for me?

Has God withheld anything?

Prayer

Lord, I lose sight of myself to praise You.