Reformation Lutheran 1997 Lenten Devotional - Number 10

February 21, 1997. Today's Bible verse is John 10: 1-18

O God, My Faithful God

(verse 1)
O God, my faithful God,
True fountain ever flowing,
Without whom nothing is,
All perfect gifts bestowing:
Give me a healthy frame,
And may I have within
A conscience free from blame,

(verse 3)
Keep me from saying words
That later need recalling;
Guard me, lest idle speech
May from my lips be falling;
But when, within my place,
I must and ought to speak,
Then to my words give grace,
Lest I offend the weak.

The words to this song ring through my head. We discuss this in our Ladies Bible Study. Yet, this plea for silence is so hard to follow! We hear things that we just have to repeat. The secret is too juicy to not pass on and be "in the know"! And this lack of silence causes us to later have to say "I'm sorry" or we hear things that are said about us that are hurtful and sometimes not even accurate. Please God, I beg that as we wake each morning that you place a hush over each of us if we cannot think of anything positive to say of someone else. Help us realize that no one is perfect, and that patience is a virtue we should each exercise much more often.

Prayer: My Jesus, it is the weight not of the Cross but of my sins, which has made You suffer so much pain. Help me remember you are with me every day, every minute, and to live my life, and direct my thoughts in this light. Amen.

Text: Johann Heermann, 1585-1647; tr. Catherine Winkworth, 1829-1878

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