Devotionals for the Heart: Words

Old Words
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” –Hebrews 4:16 (NASB)

Sometimes the words won’t form. When life is hard, or chaotic, or not understandable, it can be hard to express our feelings in conversations or in writing. Sometimes I find it’s impossible to even pray, usually during the times I need prayer the most.

In addition to the Bible, our family has found great comfort for the last few months in an old copy of The Lutheran Book of Prayer. There are prayers for every morning and evening, special prayers for certain seasons of the year, prayers for the sick, during an epidemic, during a war and more. We gather in the evenings together to pray and rather than feeling like we need to find words within ourselves, we can turn to prayers penned many years ago and used to comfort generations of Christians since. I appreciate the time and care someone put into writing down these prayers and how helpful they continue to be.

The world we live in is constantly changing, building and exploring. Hundreds of new products and services and discoveries are presented to us every day. It can be easy to throw out something old and dusty in favor of the newest and shiniest item. But we have to remember that not everything new is better and not everything old is irrelevant.

I’m absolutely not against progress. I love computers and convenience. My degree is in mechanical engineering so I’m not against new inventions! But I fear we forget to give credit to the foundation of the things that came before us and fail to realize how much they can still help us today, just the way they are.

The words of Scripture were written down over centuries to give us a glimpse into the heart of God. They are meant to teach, comfort, rebuke, and save us. How grateful I am that God gave those words to so many people, so long ago, and breathed His own Spirit into them, that they are still living and active for us today.

What words of comfort do you need to hear today? Is there a Bible verse that is particularly meaningful for what you’re going through? Or maybe the words of a Christian who came before us? Even if the words are not Holy Scripture, they can be inspiring and encouraging to us as much as when they were when they were written down. Let’s find some good words to read, pray, or share with someone today!

Let’s Pray: Gracious God, comfort me with Your Spirit today so that I may be a comfort to others. Give me words of love and kindness and grace and peace to know deep in my own soul and to share with the world you created and love. In Jesus Christ’s precious name, I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume. 

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two teenage children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting. You can find her at www.glynisbecker.com.