Incline Your Ear, Open Your Eyes

November 28, 2019

DAILY READINGS

Psalm 122
Daniel 9:15-19
James 4:1-10
This weekend’s scripture: Matthew 24:36-44

FIELD NOTES

Just last week a child psychologist told me that every child needs to hear three things every day: I see you. I hear you. I delight in you. 

In Daniel 9:15 we see the people of Israel confessing: We have sinned, we have done wickedly.  And then they ask God for the three things every child needs.  Do you see us? [v18: Open your eyes and look at our desolation].  Do you hear us? [v18: Incline your ear, O my God].  Do you delight in us? [v16: let your anger and wrath, we pray, turn away].

And if we continue reading on in Daniel, we find God lovingly answer: Yes, I see you.  Yes, I hear you.  Yes, I delight in you.  I rescued your ancestors from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and I will do the same for you. 

QUESTIONS FROM THE FIELD

• Prayer in the Bible has less to do with having the right words and simply crying out. 
  
• What’s the most basic cry of your heart?

FAMILY FIELD TALK

Parents, ask your kids these questions today:

• Do you know that I see you? 
  
• Do you know that I hear you? 
  
• Do you know that I delight in you?

PRAYER GUIDE

God, we confess we have messed things up.  In the things we’ve done and the things we’ve left undone. In the words we’ve said and the words we’ve not said. Forgive us we pray. Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.