Watch in Hope

“Do not be far from me, for trouble is near, and there is no one to help.” “But you, O Lord, be not far off; O my strength, come quickly to help me.” Rescue me from the hand of my enemy, and enable me to serve You without fear in holiness and righteousness before You all my days. I watch in hope for You, Lord; I wait for You, for You will hear me. I put my hope in You, for I will yet praise You, my Savior and my God. (Ps. 22:11, 19 not paraphrased; Luke 1:74-75; Mic. 7:7;  Ps. 42:11b paraphrased, A Woman’s Walk with God, 46)

1. Do you feel as if your troubles are so great that there is no one to help you?

2. About what do you need to put your hope in the Lord?

His Steadfast Love

Lord God, I call to You, and You save me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and You hear my voice. I cast all my cares on You, and You carry them, for You never let the righteous fall. Your steadfast love never ceases; Your mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” You are good to me when I wait for You and seek You with all my heart and soul. (Ps. 55:16-17, 22; Lam. 3:22-25 rsv, all paraphrased, A Woman’s Walk with God, 45)

1. Are you in distress? If so, cast your cares on God.

2. Seek the Lord through His Word with all your heart and soul. 

Whole Armor of God

Almighty Lord, I pray that __________________ may be strong in You and in the power of Your might. May they put on Your whole armor, Lord, that they may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For they wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Help them to be sober and vigilant because their adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking to devour them. Empower them to resist Satan, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are experienced by other Christians around the world. (Eph. 6:10-12; 1 Peter 5:8-9, all KJV paraphrased)

1. Pray this armor of God prayer for the person of your choice. 

Serve Others in Love

Son of Man, You came not to be served, but to serve and to give Your life a ransom for many. Enable me to serve You with all my heart and all my soul. Show me how to serve others in love. Since You have given me freedom, but not the freedom to be selfish and serve myself, I will use my freedom to love and serve others. (Matt. 20:28; Josh. 22:5b; Gal. 5:13, all TLB paraphrased, A Woman’s Walk with God, 37)

1. Who do you enjoy serving with a loving heart?

2. Do you have someone in your life who is hard to serve with the right attitude? If so, keep praying this prayer and seek God's help to be more loving. 

Meditate on God’s Wonders

O that my soul may be consumed with longing for Your laws at all times, Lord God. Let me understand the teaching of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. Strengthen me according to Your Word. Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through Your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on Your laws. I am holding fast to Your statutes. (Ps. 119:20, 27, 28b-31a, all paraphrased, A Woman’s Walk with God, 35)

1. What does God's Word mean to you?

2. Choose a prayer or a verse to set your heart on and memorize it. 

Devoted to Prayer

Lord, teach me to devote myself to prayer, being watchful and thankful. I kneel before You, Father God, from whom Your whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of Your glorious riches You may strengthen the people I’m holding up before You with power through Your Spirit in their inner being, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith. And I pray that they may be rooted and established in love. (Col. 4:2; Eph. 3:14-17, all paraphrased)

1. List your requests for others. 

My Hope Comes from the Lord

Ever-living God, by Your strength I will see to it that I do not have a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from You. But I will encourage others, and may they encourage me so that we do not become hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Today, Jesus, I will hear Your voice. I will not harden my heart or become rebellious. My soul will find rest in You alone; for my hope comes from You. I will have the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which You, who do not lie, promised from the beginning of time. (Heb. 3:12-13, 15; Ps. 62:5; Titus 1:1b-2, all paraphrased)

1. What hopes do you have for this year?

2. Do you have the hope of eternal life?