Tuesday, January 5: Psalm 86- A psalm for my birthday.

As I sat today, I mark my 60^th birthday, 41 of my years I have consciously been walking with the Lord. While I have grown in faith and godly character over the decades, much growth is still needed for me to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus.

The mid-section of David’s Psalm resonated with me. It offered a prayer I could, should, would pray. It is likely a prayer I can pray for the remainder of my life.

Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness;

give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;

I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your love toward me;

you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead (11-13).

If David, a man after God’s own heart, prayed this prayer and taught others to pray this prayer, certainly I would be wise to pray this prayer.

Teach me Your ways, Lord… I have so much still to learn about integrating faith into how I live. It is one thing to have head knowledge; it is an entirely different ball game to weave that knowledge into practical living. Even after 4 decades I have much to learn from the Lord.

I will praise you, Lord, my God… to verbalize praise for my Lord does something within me. Speaking the name of the Lord, blessing God for who He is or what He has done, brings a calm, a joy and a steadfastness into my being. Praise blesses God, but it also steels me in my journey of faith.

For great is your love toward me… Every ounce of faith I have started with God’s love toward me. God moved toward me long before I ever thought of moving toward Him. God’s love toward me quickened my dead heart to love Him in return. Over and over again in my life God’s love has delivered and saved me. God’s loving kindness is sweeter than honey and more precious than rare jewels!

Today on this milestone day of my life, I dedicate my life with renewed vigor to the Lord who is peerless among all gods.

Lord God Almighty, teach me Your way, that my faithfulness will grow

Give me an undivided heart, a heart that fears Your name.

I will open my lips to praise you, my Lord and my God.

I will praise You with all my heart and I will glorify Your name with every fiber of my being forever.

For great is Your love toward me.

You have delivered me time and again.

Your love toward me has never wavered, even when my faith and love toward You has wavered.

My 60 years You have always been there, these 41 years I have walked with You.

Lord, all the remaining days of my life I pledge to You, my Lord and my God.

Amen and Amen.