“May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed. May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise a victory banner in the name of our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers.” Psalms 20:4-5 NLT
This is one of these sweet easy-going prayers of blessing brought to you by King David himself. These collections of songs are an incredible legacy and constant reminder for anyone who loves life filled with both the highs of delight and also the lows of crushing disappointment.
In the past I’ve had the delight of signing birthday and anniversary cards for hundreds of people. While I was working for Royal Family KIDS, I was signing about 500 cards a year. Now, while Pastoring in Lakewood, California once again I am signing a few less, but still a lot. Every year I pick a reminder verse to write in each birthday card. I love celebrating people and when I write in their cards I think of the very best and highest ways to let them know why they are so loved.
This is one of those passages I will keep and write in cards for 2023. For 2022, I already chose Psalm 90:17 which talks about the favor of God being poured out. These verses, here in this Psalm, are just the thing we need to be reminded of on a regular basis. David’s victory banner in this case will be a birthday banner both celebrating the past and pronouncing a blessing on the future. And, may the Lord truly answer all your prayers – especially the ones that line up with what God already wants to see happen!
PRAYER:
Dad,
Life is so wildly good and unpredictable. And, it is also so hard and filled with deep disappointment. I can’t say that I like or enjoy sin, sickness, wars, division or injustice in our world. But, I can say that all the bad certainly gives perspective and balance compared to the beauty. How interesting that our freedom as human beings yields such a vast disparity between what we can behave like and what we end up behaving like towards you and each other. We all share the strongest bond of commonality as people – flesh and blood, yet we divide based on where we live, when we were born and things like wealth, power and status. We’re an interesting creation to say the least. I know one day you will make it all right, and allow us to experience the innocence of unity, wonder and love when you make our old world completely new. I look forward to that day.