Heavenly Father, I praise and thank You for the Old Testament and demonstrating how people lived and served You while struggling. I praise You for desiring a relationship with all people who You created. I praise You that I do not live under the law of the Old Testament but under the commandments of the New Testament. I praise You for salvation.
Holy Spirit help me to learn from the examples of how people lived in the past that the Old Testament tells us about. Like Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely accused at his job by the boss’s wife, thrown into prison for years, yet God blessed him in the end. Help me to remember Noah who was ridiculed for 100 years while he labored for God and then he was tossed around in a boat full of animals while it rained and stormed for days on end and he only had a few windows. Help me to understand Job, who lost all his children, his job, his land and suffered ridicule from his wife and friends while suffering with boils and sores. Elijah defeated over 400 Baal prophets and then had to run for his life because the Queen put out a price on his head. He was so depressed he asked God to just take his life.
Holy Spirit I understand what suffering is in many forms, from losing a son, being in accidents, having cancer twice, not being promoted when I am more qualified than others, not getting to do jobs I enjoy like coaching, having a knee replaced, losing friends over the years to death and mental illness. Not working a job I would ever chose if I had a say in it. Yet, You have walked with me and I have witnessed miracles, love, friendship, true worship and I have a hope of life beyond this one. I have a hope to see Philip, and the babies we lost and all the others I have known who have already crossed over to eternity. I have seen the majesty of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. I have seen places in Northern Canada where man has not touched the forests, the lakes or the wildlife. I have seen many of God’s creations and I have seen the beauty of sunrises and sunsets. The birth of children, and watching my children become adults and now grandchildren with the joy of just living each day.
Holy Spirit help me to never take for granted what I have had and still have and never let me lose my hope in what is to come. In Jesus’ name, amen.