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December 31, 2012
EPIPHANY - Day 6 - Click HERE!
Day 56
The Only Hand I Need
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Dear Praying Friend,
As we close the door on 2012, and look with anticipation and hope upon the New Year, may we remain ever grateful for God's holy and righteous hand being upon us. This year the Lord has called us to greater dependence upon Him because there is a great work He has called us to do. All His plans will be fulfilled in His perfect timing, but He desires our reliance to be upon His hand to accomplish His purposes and bring Him the glory due His name. We have seen over these past eight weeks during our prayer time how awesome, mighty, and steady His hand is in accomplishing His will in our lives - all for the sake of His Name. "He guides us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Psalm 23:3).
As we meditate on Psalm 143:9-12 today, the psalmist ends our meditation of the penitential psalms with the reason we cry out to the Lord in our distress and long for Him to answer us - it is all for His name's sake! All that He does is for His glory, honor, and praise; the reason for the answers He gives is for the glory of His Name! "For the sake of Your name, O LORD" (Psalm 25:11). May we daily submit our requests and wait upon the Lord for His answers, not to fulfill our selfish desires and personal goals, but to bring glory to His Name and see the fulfillment of His will.
"We do not make requests of You because we are righteous,
but because of Your great mercy.
O LORD, listen! O LORD, forgive!
O LORD, hear and act!
For Your sake, O my God, do not delay,
because Your city and Your people bear Your name."
(Daniel 9:18b-19)
Dear Heavenly Father, the time I have spent meditating on just this one aspect of Your being - Your hand - I have been amazed at how much power, love, strength, gentleness, and control Your hand exhibits. You reach down and pick me up when I fall; You hold me close when I feel alone; You squeeze me tighter when You are molding me more into Your image; You hold my hand to guide my steps; You gently nudge me in the direction I need to go; You hold Your hand out and wait patiently when I stray; You search for me and untangle the mess I've gotten myself into; You discipline me when I need to learn the right way to walk; You lift up my chin to gaze into my face because You are well-pleased; and You wipe my tears when I am so overwhelmed...like today. Thank You for touching my life in countless ways throughout each day and for going out of Your way to lead me back to You when I find myself lost in this noisy and distracting world. I have found myself exhausted at times, but in You I have found perfect rest in Your hands. My hands are surrendered to the leading of Your will. Give me strength for today, not to accomplish my plans, but to bring glory to Your name. For You alone deserve all the glory, honor, and praise. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Steadfast in prayer,
Traci Alexander
Trumpet and Torch Ministries
Psalm 27
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Prayer Scripture References: Numbers 6:25-26; Psalm 4:8; 23:2; Isaiah 25:8; 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11,16; Matthew 11:29; 25:21; John 10:3; 12:28; 2 Corinthians 2:14. | 
