Month: September 2026

Prayer and Praise – James 5:13

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. – James 5:13 (NLT)

When you face trials, illness, or adversity, your first response should be prayer. Prayer reflects your faith and trust in God. Prayer demonstrates our belief in God’s goodness, recognizing that His divine power can bring healing and miracles.

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. – James 5:16 b (NIV)

When life is good and we’re feeling happy, do we remember to thank and praise the Lord? Praise is an expression of gratitude, appreciation, and love. It recognizes God’s kindness, mercy, grace, and guidance. We praise Him because He is our hope, and His plans for us are for good.

For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the LORD. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 (NET)

In all circumstances, whether joy or suffering, believers should turn to God in prayer or with praise. Hardship and happiness are both great times to connect with and focus on God.

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Lord, You are our hope, strength, and salvation. We praise You and thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace. We lift our prayers to You because we believe in Your divine power, Your word, and Your faithfulness. We thank You for forgiveness of our sins and for answering our prayers. Like the buds of the balloon flower that spread and open into a star-shaped blossom, let us open our hearts and spread Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen.

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We Thirst for You – Psalm 143:5-6

5 I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done. 6 I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. – Psalm 143:5-6 (NLT)

David is thinking back on God’s faithfulness and how He has supported him in difficult circumstances in the past. He is meditating, deliberately focusing on God’s goodness and His great works. Realizing that God will keep acting faithfully now and, in the future, brings reassurance, for God is truly trustworthy.

David is raising his empty hands to God in verse 6. In order to reach out spiritually and acknowledge our dependence on God, we must also raise our hands in prayer. We declare our faith in God’s strength and power while acknowledging our weakness and realizing that we cannot do it on our own.

You are my God. I worship you. In my heart, I long for you, as I would long for a stream in a scorching desert. Psalm 63:1 (CEV)

We long for the Lord, or as David says, we thirst for the Lord. We yearn for His guidance and help. It is a spiritual thirst, a deep longing in our hearts to draw close to the Lord and to experience a true spiritual life. We yearn for His presence, guidance, and righteousness. For God our Father defends us, sustains us, and rescues us. When we actively seek God and trust in Him, He will satisfy the thirst of our souls.

I remembered the old days,
went over all you’ve done, pondered the ways you’ve worked,
Stretched out my hands to you,
as thirsty for you as a desert thirsty for rain. – Psalm 143:5-6 (MSG)

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Our Heavenly Father, we remember and thank You for Your faithfulness to us. We marvel at Your power, Your mighty works, and Your grace. We lift our hands and hearts to you for You are our hope, our strength and our redeemer. As plants thirst for water to survive, we thirst for You and Your guidance. In Jesus holy name. Amen

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