Focus

Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.

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Read

Psalm 20 (NRSV)

The LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
The name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary,
and give you support from Zion.
May he remember all your offerings,
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah

May he grant you your heart’s desire,
and fulfill all your plans.
May we shout for joy over your victory,
and in the name of our God set up our banners.
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with mighty victories by his right hand.
Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,
but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.
They will collapse and fall,
but we shall rise and stand upright.

Give victory to the king, O LORD;
answer us when we call.

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Reflect

Today is Memorial Day in the United States. On this day we honor and give thanks to the American servicemen and women who have given their lives for our country. These fallen heroes have died so that we might live in freedom. Memorial Day, first known as Decoration Day, originally honored men who had died in the Civil War, but now it honors those who have died in all the wars that followed, and rightly so. On this holiday, American flags are placed at every grave in Veterans cemeteries around the nation. What an honorable memorial!

This psalm is a prayer for victory in battle or for facing life challenges. The cry for victory is heard on the battle field and in our hearts as we endeavor to overcome those things that would separate us from God. The best armament we can have is our Lord Jesus, who can pave the way to victorious living. Trusting in the God of Jacob is our ammunition. Our mind is the battlefield, where the Spirit of God can fight our battles. We have a powerful Advocate on our side.

When you go to war, what weapons will you choose?

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Pray

Help us, dear Lord, to use all the weapons we have in you and to fight victoriously against the Evil One in our world today. Amen.

Go with God.