Morning
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. § Just as a father the son in whom he delights. § He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. § Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. § I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. § He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
Rev. 3:19; Heb. 12:5–6; Prov. 3:12; Job 5:18;
1 Peter 5:6; Isa. 48:10; Lam. 3:33; Ps. 103:10–14
Evening
God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few.
When you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
They … called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!”
Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.” . . . And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.
Lord, teach us to pray.
Eccl. 5:2; Matt. 6:7–8; 1 Kings 18:26; Luke 18:10–11, 13–14, 11:1
