July was all about perseverance. We are over the halfway point of 2016. We are remaining steadfast in the hope of Christ.
After all that persevering, we thought August would be a great month to enjoy. Maybe your kids are already back in school or maybe you have a couple weeks left of summer break. Perhaps you have one last trip planned to the beach before trading flip flops for school lunches. Maybe you didn’t get a summer break at all and August is simply another month of warmer temperatures and weekends by the pool. Whatever August means, let’s enjoy it.
Enjoying may not always seem like a very spiritual thing. It may seem odd to pray that we may enjoy August. However, the Bible is filled with enjoyment. In the beginning, God created a garden for man and woman to enjoy. In the end, we will participate in the marriage feast of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-10). What is more enjoyable than a feast? Throughout the Scriptures, we see God’s people enjoying blessings, creation, and the company of one another. The psalms are filled with enjoyment, too.
This month, as we pray for enjoyment, let’s pray for godly enjoyment. We’ll talk about ways to find enjoyment in the rhythms of life, in helping others, in company of those who surround us, in food. Above all, we want to find enjoyment in Christ amidst the everyday of August.
The verse we’re going to memorize this month is from Psalm 34. This psalm was written by David after God rescued him from King Achish, but it is not tied to that specific event. People throughout history have sung and recited these words to remember the goodness of the God we serve, the God who rescues.
The verse we’re focusing on is verse 8:
Taste and see that the LORD is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!
We love how we are not only told to see that the Lord is good, but to taste it. Almost every other use of the word in the Bible is in the literal sense—people are tasting food. Tasting requires participation and involvement. Tasting is not passive or accidental. Let’s both see and taste that our God is good. Let’s take refuge in Him, trusting in His goodness and in His rescue.
David begins the psalm by saying,
I will praise the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.
May that be true of us this month, as we enjoy!
We’d love to see what you’re enjoying this month. Show us how you are tasting and seeing that God is good! Use the hashtag #PrayersFor2016 on Instagram and Twitter to let us know (and tag @LifewayWomen while you’re at it, so we’ll be sure to see it!). We’ve also included some wallpapers and art below. Just right click or tap and hold to download (sometimes it takes a couple of tries).
Instagram Image:
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Computer Wallpaper 1280×1024:
