Today is April 2nd.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you.  
 
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
   
Today’s reading is from the book of Genesis, chapter 21.  
 

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” 
 

I love the way this passage opens. Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah. As you come to prayer today, can you reflect on the character of God as gracious. The character of God is kindness. The character of God is merciful. The root word of gracious is, of course, grace. This is our God. He is grace. And he is not just grace in general. He is grace in particular. To you. He is gracious to you. Take a moment now as you bring yourself to God and allow him to speak a word of grace over you.  
   
And he is gracious in particular ways. “He was gracious to Sarah as he had said. He did for Sarah what he had promised.” Think for a moment about a promise that God has spoken to your heart, something that you are still waiting for. This is nature of a promise, it is filled with waiting. And it is also filled with hope. As you listen to the passage again, ask God to fill you with his hope as you await his promise.  
   
I think about the words of Mary after the Angel spoke to her about God’s promise. Mary treasured up all these things in her heart. She hadn’t received the promise but she still treasured the promise. As we close our time of prayer, and as you walk through your day, treasure his promises for you, even as you wait for them to be fulfilled. 

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

Music - Nothing Is Too Hard For You - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)