Welcome to my “Encouragement for Today” devotion friends. If you are looking for the February 20th “How Big is Your But” webcast sign up, it’s to the right of this post under the Proverbs 31 logo.
I am so excited about this 30 minute FREE webcast and hope to have you all join in right here at 8pm EST this Monday! If you sign up, you’ll get an email reminder. If you don’t sign up, that’s okay. You and your friends can just log on right here at www.LysaTerKeurst.com and I’ll be here ready to teach, inspire, and even throw in a few surprises as well!
The details one more time: Monday February 20th, 8pm EST, at www.LysaTerKeurst.com for a FREE webcast!
About a year ago I was praying over my meal thanking God for my food. But for some reason my typical mealtime prayer bothered me.
It sounded so canned.
So overused.
So disingenuous.
I really was thankful but I just didn’t think my prayer truly reflected what a gift daily food really is.
So, I dumped my typical prayer.
And started just talking to the Lord from my heart.
“Jesus, thank you for the amazing way you provide food for me and my family every day. May we never take for granted what a gift this meal is. And may you help us be ever mindful of those who are going without today. Oh God, intervene and help provide for someone going without right now.”
And then God started convicting me to be the provision.
So, that’s what I plan to make the focus of my Lent journey this year. I didn’t grow up practicing Lent, but honoring the 40 days leading up to Easter feels right to me.
If it feels right to you, I encourage you to take a look at my friend Chris Seay’s book, “A Place at the Table: 40 days of Solidarity with the poor.”
I introduced Chris yesterday in part one of our interview. You can see that by clicking here.
Also, check out Chris’ website here, where you can find so many resources to encourage you along in your 40 days of remembering those who go without- your 40 day journey through Lent.
Lysa TerKeurst w. Chris Seay Part 2 from Chris Seay on Vimeo.
Leave a comment today, praying for someone specifically who is without today. Even though you don’t know their name, ask God to be with that person, that child, that family… be their prayer covering today. I can’t think of a better way to prepare my heart for Easter.
Dear Lord
Thank you for being such an amazing God. May those who are without today and everyday be blessed. We deserve so little but you give us so much and I am grateful. I may not be rich in they typical sense but I am rich in you. I hope others take time today to thank you and to realize how precious your love is. Thank you for blessing each and every one of us and for your forgiveness. AMEN
Today, Lord I thank you for so richly providing for me and my family. You have truly blessed me beyond measure. I know that there are so many throughout the world who do without food regularly and would love just the crumbs off my floor and that knowledge should break my heart more than it does. My prayer today is for baby Marcus. Please provide for his family so that they will have the resources to feed and care for him properly. I pray that his family would know you and your salvation so that they will bring him up in the nurture and admonition of You. If they are unwilling or unable I pray that you will allow the foundation to have charge of him so that his life can be all that You have planned for it in leading the people of Ghana to Yourself. I love you Lord Jesus! Amen.
Lord, I am so abundantly blessed. I know that I abuse the fruitfulness you provide for me and my family, while so many others go without. Help me to be mindful of the least of these. May they learn that they are rich in You, Jesus. May I learn to walk in your ways to lift up those in need. Thank you for loving me, Amen.
Looking forward to my 40 day journey and to reading Chris’s book. Thanks Lysa!
Father
Open my eyes and my heart to anyone who is in need. Help me to be the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth. AMEN
Observing lent is something I have been considering nut have yet to do…maybe this book is the push I need to know how to for about it and learn from the experience.
Dear Lord, there are many without a lot of things right now. I do lift up those you have brought into my home this week. Help them find the right jobs and the right apartment soon! Thanks God! In Jesus’ name, Amen
I pray for the homeless/disabled couple and their dog that I saw on the street corner this morning in Orlando. I gave them a box of GS cookies that I had in the car. My four year old son was with me and it was a great time to remind him that we have so much and that Jesus expects us to help others when we can.
Oh Father, Thank YOU so much for all that you have given us. I just come to You and ask You to be with M. and A. right now wherever they are. We just ask that You would provide all that they need physically and that You would receive all the glory. I pray that they would each know Jesus as Lord and Savior and I thank You for placing them in our lives! In Jesus Name, Amen
Lord, help me to love people as you do. When my church hosts MCREST for the homeless at the end of this month Lord, let me connect with at least one of the people there. Let me see his heart with Your eyes and allow me to be Your hands and feet to him. As the worship song says, “I have been blessed, now I want to be a blessing.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for being such an awesome God day after day. Bless those who are without food today. We have so much here today and we don’t even know what it feels like to have nothing. Bring understanding to our hearts about other people’s circumstances. Be with those who are poor and have nothing at all; give them hope and give them courage. Thank you for all of the blessings and your amazing grace. Amen.
This is a terrific idea to serve others during Lent. I’m thinking specifically of not dining out during those 40 days and giving the money we will save to our community food bank. Thank you for the inspiration Lysa!
I’ve done this too – dumping the prayer – and instead of guilt have just begun the wonderful thought-dialogue with God about all the things I’m thankful for, concerned about, curious about etc. My problem with formal prayer is that there is an ‘amen’ and it’s over. Instead it should end, ‘to be continued, momentarily.’
When I was growing up we said a canned prayer. I never liked praying around other people because I knew that my prayer was lame. So when we had our son, I told my husband we would never teach our son to pray a prayer like that. We taught him that prayer was talking to God. We told him that it should be thanking him for his food. Now I love hearing the things that he prays.
Dear Lord Thank you for being who you are. I ask you to provide food for every person today who is hungary. I thank you that you are our Father and want your children to be healthy and receive nourishment. Help all of us who are able to share with those less fortunate to do so. Thank you in all things. In Jesus name, Amen
Thank you, Jesus, for ALL that you have provided me with. I am so very blessed. Be with those who will be building a house in Mexico for a family who has nothing through Amor ministries. Bless those going, keep them safe, and touch them in new ways as they minister with their hands in YOUR precious name!
Hi Lysa! I love this idea of posting this prayer. Today and everyday I pray for my sponsor child Jerson, from Guatemala. I pray that he and his family knows the love God has for them and I am so very thankful that he has joined our lives together!
Father God, I enter into the inner court of Your Throne Room with thanksgiving and praise in my heart for all the things You have done, Lord. You have provided SO MUCH for me and are so generous with your wealth. What am I doing with mine? Search me, Jesus. Reveal my thoughts. Test me. Know my anxious thoughts and worries. If there is any wrong way within me, Lord, make it known to me so I may be more like You. Break my heart for what breaks Yours. Even though I am financially poor, You, Jesus, make me rich. You have blessed me with more treasures than money can buy. Show me how to love like You have loved me, Lord. Bring forth Your Holy Spirit to guide me in the way everlasting… in the way You would have me go to serve Your people… to shepherd Your lambs. Show me the ones who are hungry. Equip me to feed them, according to Your divine will. In the sweetest name I know how to pray, the name of Jesus ~ Amen.
yes, what an awesome way to lead up to Easter. Thank you Lord Jesus for providing our family food and i pray that someone is blessed with a miracle of nourishment from you today. Please Lord help me to be a vehicle to help others who are in need.
In Jesus precious name I pray. Amen.
Dear Father–
I pray Your provision, Your hope, Your peace for a family in desperate need today. You know who they are, and You love them desperately and extravagantly. Thank You for blessing my family so much. Let this precious family clearly see Your hand in all this, so they may be drawn close to You.
Make me an instrument of comfort and provision for others in need.
In Jesus’ Precious Name,
Amen
Lysa, This has truly touched my heart! I am thankful for you & Chris….so Blessed that God has used you two to touch so many lives. May God Bless each of you.
Today I pray for my two girls from Compassion Virginia & Karla. I ask the Lord to provide for them & there families. I am so very Thankful that God has given us the provisions to help with some of there needs. I pray that He will uses me to share His love with them. I specifically pray for Virginia’s Dad as he was injured while working on their home. Thank you Father for being our PORTION in ALL things!!!!
P.S Lysa a really cool thing is the day I decided to Sponsor Virginia was the day I meet you at Elmbrook Church in WI.
What a joy she has been to me. Hugs
Dear God, Thank you for your Son, and for blessing us when we don’t deserve it. Please help us to reach out to those that are hungry, not just for food, but for anything they need to fill their hearts with your love. Hold them in your sweet arms and keep them safe.
Dear Lord, Thank You for salvation…Jesus that You are the bread of life…Bless Your children everywhere…open our eyes to see the blessings You have heaped up upon us. You are so good. Precious Lord be very near to those who are in desperate situations..You know their needs and we praise You that You not only see, but so deeply care. Move Holy Spirit over all the face of the earth…fill us and use us..We love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Lord, please guard, guide and protect our friend Patt as she takes this current journey through our American prison system. Talk about doing without! And the food . . . oh my. I admire the choices she has made, Lord. Keep her strong in all she’s facing now, and again when she gets to come back home. She’s turned to you to change her from the inside out, and is trusting you now. Help her to understand when she’s filled with Why. You are our great God, awesome in all your (even mysterious to us) ways. Thank you for these journeys in our lives. I want to show your glory always and always remember your name!
Today I pray for my brother,dusty, an addict in jail. He is without Christ, the Bread of Life, and needs to be saved. He will be 25 on the 18th of this month. He’s been without for so long.
Today I pray for my brother, Dusty, an addict in jail. He is without Christ, the Bread of Life, and needs to be saved. He will be 25 on the 18th of this month. He’s been without for so long. Thank you for making me think.
Today I pray for my brother, Dusty, an addict in jail. He will be 25 on the 18th of this month. He is without the Bread of Life; he needs to be saved. He’s been without for so long. Thank you for making me think today of my prayer life for him.
Here’s a thought about praying for your food, Lysa… pray AFTER you eat in gratitude for the provision of food. When i first experienced this (at a friend’s dinner party), it really touched me because it wasn’t routine/rote. Having tasted and enjoyed the meal, the prayer was more significant somehow. Anyway, just an idea.
Hi Lysa! Last year I did a solid food fast for all of Lent and it was so powerful. I’d like you to know also that I read Made to Crave as one part of my daily devotional during that time:-) I fasted responsibly and made sure I was not hurting my body. I was so in touch with how LITTLE we actually NEED to survive and how MUCH we take in that we dont’ need. I also got in touch with the reality of what it means to be hungry and to be thatkful for the food I did have. Every night as I went to sleep with the feelings of hunger in me, I remembered and prayed for all those that were also going to bed hungry – but without a choice. It was a very powerful excercise to remove the pleasure from food and just use it to sustain me. I was forced to find pleasure in other things around me. My fast also prepared my heart for Easter and made it all the more meaningful as I had gotten so much closer to God. I pray that your Lenten time is as meaningful and powerful as mine was. I plan to follow Come to the Table this year for Lent. Thank you for all your guidance, teaching, and inspiration.
oops. I meant “A Place at the Table”
today I pray for the Village of Hope in Haiti where many churches come together to educate and feed 500 children. Bless their new medical clinic that will minister to many in the community and the children who are part of Village of Hope. Thank you for allowing my family to help in a very small way. Thank you for showing me more ways to help others around me and far away. Amen.
Lord, I pray for Lucky today as he is somewhere in a little village in Africa. Bless him and his family with Your presence, provision, and protection. May their hearts overflow with gratitude and praise to You. I pray also that you will give me a heart to follow your leading today. Thank you for all the ways you show Your love to the whole world.
Lysa, I love the prayer. Don’t we just speak more clearly when we just speak from our hearts and not try to recite a canned prayer of the “right” words? As I read the words about food, I was thinking the same about our jobs. “Thank you God for the amazing way you provide jobs that me and my family are able to go to every day which in turn helps put food on our table. Let us never take for granted what a gift our jobs are. And help me to be mindful of those who do not have jobs but are willing and able to work.” Our family has 5 jobs and in this economy and society right now that is amazing and I am so thankful every day! And on to the next part, help me be the provision for someone else Lord, teach me to GIVE like never ever before! Thanks for sharing your heart and your friend Chris’ book with us! If we just took one day to put ourselves in another person’s shoes, we would indeed look very differently at the world and the love of Christ!
FATHER GOD I PRAY FOR EVERY PERSON MAN , WOMAN. BOY OR GIRL THAT LIVES IN THIS COUNTY THAT DOESN’T HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO EAT. FATHER GOD IN JESUS NAME I ASK THAT IN THIS COUNTY THAT FOOD WILL BE PROVIDED FOR EVERYONE AND NO ONE WILL GO TO BED HUNGRY FOR LACK OF FOOD. SHOW ROGER AND I HOW WE CAN HELP IN THIS. IN JESUS NAME AMEN
Precious Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the amazing experience it was to see first hand child in Kenya that often go without food. The single meal a day they get of rice and beans is something they look forward to. I pray for each one of those lives of hope that you have created with purpose. Their joy was infectious. May I use the abundance you have blessed me with to serve you by serving these kids. Shower me with the wisdom to help end the poverty cycle for these children. And my every bite I am privileged to take give you honor, praise, and glory. Amen
Lord I pray now that you would be with those who are without food. Bring us and other’s to help them have enough food. Bring your blessings LORD. We are so grateful for the food and blessings that we have in America. Help us to share our blessings with those less fortunate than us. In Jesus Name, I pray, Amen
Lord I just thank you for your abundant blessings that you give to me daily. I am not worthy of your love and care but you continue to love and care for me unconditionally. Please help me to have a burden for the children who are so destitute and lack physical needs daily. Help me to be compassionate as you have shown compassion to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen
Lord, I lift up my students today that are going without. Some of my students look forward to coming to school because they get to eat breakfast and lunch. I pray that you would help us as teachers to see the need in our students and have a heart for what they are going through. I pray that our community would start seeing the need and help our students. I pray for our new back pack program. It gives kids that do only get to eat at school during the school week a chance to take some food home. The churches in the area are getting together to provide for those needs and I pray that you would bless their efforts and increase our heart for these kids and their families. Lead us according to your precious will. Amen.
Lord, I lift up all those across our world that will go without food today. Be their sustinance, be their source of life, be their everything! Ease the pain they feel due to the lack of food. Ease the pain of the parent who may have to watch their child suffer. Give all your children a heart like yours that would bear the burden wherever they can to provide for these. Give us the means and the resources to do what we can to be Jesus to them. Bless them with food to nourish their bodies and your Word to nourish their souls. Thank you, Lord, for what you will do to provide for these people!
Lord, I ask that you sustain those children who are hungry and who may not eat today. Give them strength to continue to have hope and joy despite the pain they feel. Lord, give courage and comfort to their parents who so desperately want to provide the nourishment they need but can’t. As a mother I know how my heart would break to see my children hungry and as a Father, I know you feel the pain of your starving children. Lord fill me with thankfulness for the abundance you have given our family in food and provision. In Jesus name, amen.
Lord, I pray for the many more that have become homeless this year again because
of economic distress. Many are left unable to provide for themselves or their family.
I would also like to pray for healing and peace to be brought to a co-worker of mine.
Thank you for giving me the strength every day to try and be positive in negative surroundings, as I feel the devil is trying to bring me down. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Lord, I ask that somehow you would bless the homeless man that was in the field next to our home yesterday and last night. I ask that you would give me the courage to help someone like him in the future. Take away the fear of approaching someone like that while giving me wisdom also. I so wanted to have your heart about it, but was just fearful. Thank you for what you will teach me through this experience and bless that gentleman and provide for his needs somehow wherever he is today.
Father You are so Awesome. I know this little prayer of mine is meant to specifically touch one of your children. God, i pray with all my heart that you BLESS my prayer brother and sister with not only the physical food, water, and shelter that they need but the Spiritual Hope, Love, and Faith we are all desperate for. God please place my special prayer friend on my heart throughout this day (especially). Whenever i’m taking some gift for granted help me pause and pray for my friend and may they feel Your mighty love and my heart surrounding them and lifting them up. In the Powerful Amazing Name of Jesus Amen
I am not sure if this is what is wanted but I want to pray this way also. Dear God, I want to pray for my friend right now that is without love from someone close to her. She is suffering and only You know what to give her. I also do want to pray for people without food or shelter or clothing that they need. I pray You will send people along at the right times to give to.them Your love and provide for them. I would love to help when I can and want to be willing and wait for You to show me when I can be used by You each day to reach out to those in need of Your love. Thank You, God for all You give us and please keep providing and showing us how to provide for others. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
@ Sarah H. Thats Beautiful! re your post here on Feb 17th 3:22pm I love that prayer! It’s now mine too! Love to you! Kim in London UK!
Lord, please be with the one’s without food. Please Father be with them and their family.. Bless them with food and lord. Please make sure that I am not lazy and that I do my part to help them. Love you Lord! In Jesus name amen.
Dear LORD,
I come to You in worship and praise because I CAN come to you. We are so blessed for that fact alone. Lord You know my heart breaks just thinking about people not having enough food, especially children. You know my family went through a 14 month lay-off. You worked through your people to provide for us in the most wonderful ways. YOU did that. Oh Almighty God do the same for someone that is in that same boat as we were. Come through for them just like You did for us so many times over that long span of time. You are so completely good. You are so trustworthy. I want to ask for my sisters and brothers who need You to lift them up and be their provider.Please do this for the sake of your beautiful Name. It is in that Name I bow and it is in that Name I cry out for these who cannot save themselves. Please help them. Tonight, right now come to them. Love them.
Show me what to do to be Your hands. Oh God we love you with our words but please help me love You with my life. It is in the strongest Name I know, Jesus…Amen
Lord thank you for the gifts and blessing you have given me. Show me each and everyday a new way to reach out to those in need. If its a smile, a friendly hello,helping hand or friendly conversation Lord let them see the Jesus in me and fill their hearts with a Peace that can only come from Knowing YOU. amen
Dear God,
Please bless the one who is in the desert, who is in the void, and is lonely today. Please bring them peace and joy, and a friend. Please make me a vessel for your love and light today.
Amen
My husband agrees with you! He says that people who pray long at mealtime are trying to make up for a deficit elsewhere, and his food is getting cold. So when it is just he and I he prays “Thanks God. Amen” We lengthen it for when our children are at the table, mostly to set a better example- actually I wrote a blog post about it here: http://nicolewhitespeaks.com/2011/05/18/god-is/
The person I would pray about today is a man who panhandles at the corner near the freeway by my house. Every now and then I give him something from the drive through at McDonalds, or I I am returning from the grocery, I slip him a few bananas, poptarts, granola bars from my bags- just something, and I tell him I am praying for him.