December 5, 2019 Thursday of the 1st Week in Advent-A

Isaiah 26:1-6

Psalm 118

Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Trust in the Lord forever! For the Lord is an eternal Rock.  Ps. 118

“…a wise man who built his house on rock.”  Mt. 7:24

Lord, today is a good day for me to reflect on my life’s foundation.  How much do I put my faith in men, wealth, busyness, and pleasure or material goods?  Do I look to my own abilities and talents to manage the storms of life?  Of course, I pray to you and hope you will answer.  But do I really “trust in the Lord forever?”  A friend of mine has suffered many years with a terrible disease and sees no light at the end of the tunnel.  He is sorely tempted to give up.   He worries that he has lost the fight and that you have not responded to his pleas for relief.  Lord, I pray for this man to trust in you as his eternal rock.  I pray he can believe you hear all his prayers and have answered them in ways he may not recognize.  I pray for your grace to strengthen him and to help him see the value in his suffering.  I pray that he can surrender to you as his rock foundation and never let go of hope in your constant love and care for him.  Amen.