Today is August 19.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.   
  
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
   
Today’s reading is from Psalm 101.  
  

      I will sing of your love and justice;  
         to you, LORD, I will sing praise.  
      I will be careful to lead a blameless life—  
         when will you come to me?  
         I will conduct the affairs of my house  
         with a blameless heart.  
      I will not look with approval  
         on anything that is vile.  
         I hate what faithless people do;  
         I will have no part in it.  
  

Welcome to prayer, my friends. This section of the psalm has a lot of divergent sorts of vocabulary: love, justice, careful, blameless, vile, faithless. It’s a bit all over the place. How are you feeling as you come to prayer? Invite the Lord to abide with you now, and take a bit more time of quiet contemplation. Welcome the spirit of God to increase His presence to you. 
   
Several of these phrases stand out to me: i will sing of your love. I will be careful to lead a blameless life. When will you come to me? I will not approve what is vile. What stands out to you? I’m noticing the polarity between that which is just, and blameless... and that which is vile, and faithless. Listen again and pay attention for a word or phrase that stands out to you. 
 
As we end our time of prayer, take the phrase that stood out and recall it to mind. Maybe you’ve already forgotten it! No problem, just rewind a bit and find it again. I want for you to ask God to deepen that scripture into your mind and heart so that it informs your behavior today. 

Music: You Are Worthy Of My Praise - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)