Today is October 8.

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 Psalm 112.


1 Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. 2 Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. 4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. 5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. 6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. 7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. 9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.


Good morning, and welcome to prayer. Consider this passage, and all the blessings it speaks over those who delight in the Lord. And what does it look like to delight in the Lord? It’s those who are “gracious and compassionate and righteous; those who are generous and lend freely; those who conduct their affairs with justice.” Does that seem like a tall order? Maybe even impossible? Talk to the Lord about this beautiful, and seemingly impossible, vision he invites us into… and how you feel about your capacity to engage with it this morning.

Fortunately for us, these aren’t a list of to-dos for us to attain God’s blessings. In fact, if you’re like me – you know that this list is not often lived up to in our day to day. We find similar refrains over in Matthew in Jesus’ famed sermon of the mount. Blessed are those who… The list is great and overwhelming to perform. How do you understand your sense of blessedness by God? Or do you sense yourself striving, or marked with shame, or overwhelmed... as you try to follow his pathways? Listen to the passage again and try to listen through the lens of it as an invitation toward something, not as an impossible expectation.

As we end our time of prayer today, can you hold both the darkness and weightiness in the world around you, and perhaps even in your own heart…. While you also hold the redemption and blessing of God? As the psalmist wrote: Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Today, would you make this your prayer: even in darkness, light dawns…? Is there a person, or situation, you might pray this specifically toward today? This is my prayer for you today. What darkness are you present to right now? Could you hold that before the Lord?

Father God, would you accompany my sister or brother now with a light that is not overwhelmed or overcome by the darkness? Would you encourage their spirit by your presence? Would you guide and guard your child today? Amen.

Music: Reign in Me - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)