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Proverbs Devotional 3.3.20

By March 3, 2020Daily Devotional

I. Prayer to enter the Lord’s presence:

Be still for a moment. “Lord, I give the day that is now past to you.  It is yours.  I give the day that is to come to you; help me to see where you are working and to join you there.  Speak to me during these moments.  I commit them and myself to you.”

 II. Prayer of Confession:

“Lord, you are faithful to forgive me and cleanse me of my sin when I confess it to you.  I confess my sin(s) of ______________.  Thank you for forgiveness.” (1 John 1:9)

III. Prayer of Thanksgiving:

Choose to be thankful, speak out loud of what God has done.
“Thank you, Father, for _________________.  Fill my heart and my mouth with gratitude throughout this day.”

IV. Scripture Reflection

Read: Proverbs Chapter 3

Reflect:

Proverbs 3:3-4

3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

People who drive pickups, of which I am one, are an interesting bunch! You have those who just throw any and everything in the bed of the truck, not giving a thought to the likelihood that whatever they just put in the bed will be blown out of the bed. They are the folks you see on the side of a busy highway picking up a couch, mattress, dresser, or any number of things. It’s interesting because most of the time they’re mad that their stuff has blown out!

Then there are others like me, who are on the other end of the spectrum. We like to have things—no matter how large or small—tied down securely. I guess it’s because we value our stuff. We are probably somewhat prudent as well. We’d never want to cause an injury or accident because something flew out of the back of the truck. However, truth be told, there are other things of higher value than the things we put in a pickup, things that bring life to our being! Love and faithfulness are two of them. 

Both are character traits we can’t afford to lack in. In Proverbs 3:3, love has a sense of devotion, loving-kindness, loyalty, an unchanging love. Faithfulness has a sense of firmness, something right and truthful. 

Wouldn’t it be something if these character traits described our lives? 

They can if we set our hope fully on Christ and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. The psalmist is warning us. He’s telling us, “You can’t just think about these two godly characteristics as if they are something to toss into the pickup bed of our lives and then go about your day.” 

No! If we’re going to hold on to love and faithfulness, action on our part is required. 

We must heed the psalmist’s words and bind love and faithfulness to ourselves. “Bind them around your neck… write them on the tablet of your heart.” Love and faithfulness should encompass your whole being! It’s a descriptive way of saying, “hold on to these two!”  

Respond: 

What are you doing to make sure you never leave love and faithfulness behind? What can you do to make them permanent characteristics of your own life? 

V. Prayer for others:

Pray specifically for the concerns of your life and the lives of others. 

VI. Prayer of commitment:

Lord God, I commit to love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind and to love my neighbor as myself.  Empower me today to love you and others with everything that I am.”  (Luke 10:27)

This Week’s Scripture Memory:

Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

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