While reading my scriptures for this devotional and searching for inspiration online, I came across the website www.praythepsalms.com and the following prayer by Mark D. Roberts. It is a simple, beautiful prayer that we can reflect on — not only during Lent but in our everyday lives. It is easy to get so caught up in our daily lives that we lose track of our relationship with God. We need to remember to set time aside for God each and every day, if only for a moment, to seek the replenishment we so desperately need.
Thank You, Gracious God, for times when life is hard, when I can’t handle life’s challenges on my own, when I realize that my wisdom and my resources are inadequate. In these times, as much as a part of me hates them, I have no choice but to remember how much I need You. And in these times I can feel the longing of my soul for You.
Without You, dear Lord, my life would have no purpose. Without You, I’d faint from exhaustion and fade away. Without You, my discouragement would mount up higher and higher, with no hope of relief. Without You, my soul would be parched without satisfaction. So I yearn for You, Lord, yes, like a deer. You alone can satisfy my soul. You alone can refresh me. You alone can renew me. You are my life! Amen.
Genesis 46:1-7, 28-34
Psalms 42, 43, 85, 86
1 Corinthians 9:1-15
Mark 6:30-46
