the gift of mondays

in Mark 4:35 the Bible talks of a storm that comes in the evening. it's a furious squall with the waves breaking over the boat and nearly swamping it. Jesus was on the boat sleeping. the Disciples rushed to wake Him. "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" they ask. Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and the waves and then turned to His disciples. "Why are you so afraid?", He asked them. "Do you still have no faith?" with Jesus right by their side they were still terrified. and s o it is with us. when the storm comes in the middle of the night we get scared. we see the lightning. we hear the howling wind. we feel the crashing waves. and we focus on the storm. though Jesus is right next to us we run to Him. we shake Him awake. we ask Him if He sees the storm. we ask Him if He even cares if we drown. and Jesus responds, "Do you still have no faith?" if you change the position of one letter in the word scared...you get the word sacred

Dear Lord, I come to you today with a prayer for all those who are lost. For all those who have been beaten down by the selfishness of others. For all those who have seen too much and can't forget the pain. For all those who have been told they were useless...that their sins were too great...that nobody would...or could ever love them. For all those who are sinking in the pit of discouragement. For all those who have been blinded by hatred. For all those who think their failures are fatal. For all those who have looked for peace in alcohol, drugs or sex and only found more despair. For all those who are searching for something...for anything...to make them feel like they have value, that they have worth, that they belong in this world. I bring them all before you today Lord. I ask you to heal their broken hearts. I ask you to clear their cluttered minds. I ask you to remove all evil influences in their lives. Lord, I pray you become so real to them that they