“Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.” 1 Timothy‬ ‭2:8-10‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the perfect example and model of what this verse truly means. We give you so many reasons to raise an angry fist at us yet, you hold us and comfort us with your holy hands. You sent your Son Jesus to show us what living a life of humility and prayer looks like. 

Lord, help me to be more like you. When I’m tempted to raise an angry fist, help me instead to raise up holy hands. Help me to remember the power of prayer and the strongholds it can break down. I know the more I pray for those who wrong me, the more humility and peace I gain and the better I am for it. However, even though I know this truth I often find it hard to do. Forgive me also, when I allow myself to be swooned by the temporal things of this world. There are so many things vying for my attention and pulling me in different directions and away from you; forgive me when I fall into these traps.

Lord, please go before this week. Help me to walk in humility in my marriage, in my relationships with others, as a parent, and all other aspects of my life. Help me to fervently pray like my life and the lives of others depend on it — in fact, it does. Also, keep me from being caught up with the cares of this world — the material things that are fleeting and meaningless. Let my beauty shine from within Lord. Help me to do beautiful things for you and may I become beautiful in doing it. In Jesus’ name, amen.

~Anita Marie

(Meditation Monday: These scriptures and prayers are intended to give you encouragement for the day and week. The Lord tells us to meditate in His word day and night (Joshua 1:8) so read the scripture, pray the prayer and meditate as you wait for Him to speak to you.)