Unflattering Flattery

“Let me not, I  pray, show partiality to anyone;
Nor let me flatter any  man.”  Job 32:21

Flattery is defined as complimenting excessively and often insincerely, especially in order to win favor. (Websters Dictionary)

Lord, let me not be affected by flattery, nor be a user of it.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

What Flattery Gets

Lord, You do not flatter
nor falsely praise

source – simplenomics.comnor falsely praise

to get on our good side
or acquire a raise

so may we follow You
with sincere encouragement

not moved by or moved to
see what flattery will get.

Womb Fashioned

“Did not He who made me in the womb make them?
Did not the same One fashion us in the womb?”  Job 31:15

We are all created beings, coming into this world the same way.

Lord, let me not think in terms of “we” and “they”, but “us”.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

From Scratch

source – bigfatgeekrunning.co.uk

You make us humbly
out of the same
dirt and clay
we’ll  later be
pulled from
everyone leaving
muddy tracks.

Grieved

“Have I not wept for him who was in trouble?
Has not my soul grieved for the poor?”  Job 30:25

I usually think of prayer as a conversation with God.

Oh Lord, may cries and moans replace my words for the deep needs of others.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

source – blogs.usask.ca

Fitting Conversations

May my talk be turned
to cries and moans
for someone whose
in trouble, Lord.

And when the poor
are suffering
may our conversation
be filled with grief.

Our Defender

“I was eyes to the blind,
And I was feet to the lame
I was a father to the poor,
And I searched out the case that  I did not know.”  Job 29:15-16

Job was such a blessing.

Thank You, Lord, for being our Defender and Deliverer.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Safe With You

source – thedailyspurgeon.com

Everything I lack
whatever it may be
eyes to see, a way to walk
You provide for me.

You are my Deliverer
and my Defender too
pulling me from danger’s mouth
keeping me safe with You.

When Fear Is Wise

“And to man He said,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.'”  Job 28:28

I don’t always think of wisdom the way that God does.

Lord, I desire to fear You more, in the right way, and ask that Your Spirit propel me away from every evil. And here’s a simple poem . . .

Wisdom Begins

source – wordoftheday-connie.blogspot.com

When
I
Stop
Depending
On
Myself

and look to You alone.

The Heritage of Oppressors

“This is the portion of a wicked man with God
And the heritage of oppressors,
received from the Almighty . . .

Terrors overtake him like a flood
A tempest steals him away in the night . . .”  Job 27:13,20

The weight of oppression makes it tough to think of the ones abusing their power.

Lord, help me pray today for the oppressors to be set free.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Even These

source – site.google.com

Blinded by the oppression
makes it hard to see
that the one hurting others
could suffer eternally.

Inflicted pain is terrible
but there’s a death that never ends
so I pray, please draw them, Jesus
to their only Hope and true Friend.

The Mere Edges

“Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!”  Job 26:14

The infinite immenseness of God, as  Job describes, makes even a whisper of Him often more than we can bear.

Lord, please ready us to receive deeper and deeper revelations of You.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Your Slightest Touch

Source – brilliancemastery.com

Your whisper fills the valleys
overflows the mountains
and pours out on the plains.

At Your glorious glance
high places crumble, seas dry
and clouds roll back their rain.

Your slightest touch levels me
breaks open my heart and leaves my soul
alive to all You proclaim.

Righteous Before God

“Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said, . . .
How then can man be righteous before God?”  Job 25:1,4

Job was blameless and upright before God . . .but I was not.

Thank You, Lord, for covering me in Your righteousness.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Plain To See

source – kngdm-art.com

It was plain to see
I was not righteous

not so hard to say
I need You, Lord

and still today
I come before You

held up by
all You gave.

The Wounded

“The dying groan in the city,
And the souls of the wounded cry out . . .”  Job 24:12

Mr. Larry Who fasts and prays each Friday for the prisoners in North Korea and throughout Asia and those imprisoned by poverty or drugs or any of the countless ways one can be imprisoned.  Would you like to join him?

Lord, as those imprisoned groan and cry out, we join them and ask for Your mercy to make a way.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Precious Prisoners

source – photography.nationalgeographic.com

As the wounded cry out
and the dying groan
we pray to God
with Holy Spirit moans
for He’s always moving
on behalf of these ones
for each is considered
a precious daughter, a much loved son.

Coming Forth As Gold

“But He knows the way that I take’
When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.”  Job 23:10

Once I sent in some gold jewelry for cash, but the recompense was so small, I asked for it back.

Lord, we trust You and believe that we shall come forth from each of our tests, rich in testimonies for Your glory.  And here’s a simple poem . . .

Truly Treasured

credit – Bob Thomason
Stone / Getty images

Today’s refiners gather
paying us a small price

for what once had value
as memorable gifts in life

while God takes true treasure
our hearts, minds and souls

refining them by His Spirit
until we come forth as gold.