S – Let your fountain be blessed, and take pleasure in the wife of your youth.

Proverbs 5:18 CSB

O – “Pleasure” – 

sâmach,  to brighten up, i.e. (fig.) be (caus. make) blithe or gleesome:— cheer up, be (make) glad, (have, make) joy (-ful), be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, × very.

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words 

A – Although there is a sexual undertone of wisdom in the verses leading up to this verse, the “pleasure” has a wider application.  After 35 years of marriage, the joy, elation and completeness that comes with a marriage centered on Christ has a wide application.  It isn’t perfect, but it encompasses all that we do together.  And, gives us a confident foundation when we are apart.

R – Lord, thank you for the gift of my wife.  I am grateful for the confidence and trust we have established over the years.  You are the center of our marriage.  You have blessed as a couple and in our individual walks with you.

S – “Do not come closer,” he said. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground

Exodu 3:5 CSB

O – Commentary: 

The soil around the bush was holy ground, while the soil on the bottom of Moses’ sandals was common. The common cannot touch the holy without being transformed or destroyed (see “Clean and Unclean” at Lev 11:1–15:33, p. 213). At the outset of the Exodus, God was making it plain that he is absolutely “other” than his creation, a reality that cannot be overlooked in a proper divine-human relationship. The word holy occurs only a few times in the Bible prior to 3:5. It now becomes the central descriptor of God in the OT

 New Living Translation Study Bible 

A – We walk with God every day.  Do we treat our experience with our Holy Father with reverence and awe?

R – Heavenly Father, I never want to take for granted how perfect you are.  You have no fault, no limits – nothing is greater than you. Yet, you love me and know me intimately.  You are a great God.  I choose You today and surrender my will and desires to Your will and plan for me today.

S – Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.

Matthew 16:24–25 CSB

O – Commentary: 

Carrying the horizontal crossbeam en route to crucifixion (where the upright stake sometimes already stood awaiting the condemned person) often meant enduring mockery and scorn on a path leading to death as a condemned criminal…“Follow” can be the language of discipleship, since disciples followed their teachers; here disciples follow to the cross.

The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament

A – Challenges take on many forms.  There are physical challenges but also mental, emotional, and even spiritual challenges.  Our whole lives are fair game for the enemy to attack.  And, we are on our journey of growth that we have to work through.  We can’t quit.  We must continue to follow.

R – Lord, I invite your Holy Spirit to strengthen our resolve today.  Give us the toughness and tenacity to work through the challenges to keep moving forward with you.  You never said it would be easy.  You said you would be with us.  That is enough.

S – Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

 Proverbs 4:23 CSB

O – “Heart” – lêb,  the heart; also used (fig.) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the center of anything:

The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words 

We should guard our heart because it is the center of all aspects of life – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

A – If you look at your heart like a pendulum, there will be times when the extremes are necessary and healthy.  The majority of time is spent between these extremes.  We need to grow in our ability to know when to engage less or more of our heart to a situation or person.  That is good boundaries and guards the heart.  

R – Lord, I invite your Holy Spirit to lead me today.  You know all the situations I am going to face and I need your insight to know how to release and guard my heart so that I can honor you and love others appropriately.  Continue to help to me grow in this area.

S – May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, 

Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalms 19:14 CSB

O – Commentary: 

acceptable The Hebrew word used here, ratson, often indicates God’s acceptance of a sacrifice (Lev 1:3; 19:5; Isa 56:7). The psalmist offers up his words, hoping they will be pleasing to Yahweh.

Faithlife Study Bible 

A – What would our speech and thoughts look like if we thought of them as an offering to the Lord?  It doesn’t mean they would be all about God.  It does mean they would have God as the center.  We would think and speak from God first and not our being.  Our involvement with people and situations would reflect Christ more than ourselves.

R – Lord, thank you for today and the opportunity to walk with you.  We invite You to be the center of our thoughts and words.  This will allow us to grow in your character and reflect your love in an authentic, tangible way.  Give us the courage and strength to do this today.

– God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. ⁸ Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God.

Genesis 45:7–8 CSB

O – Commentary:  

God sent me ahead of you (45:5). It was not you who sent me here, but God (v. 8; cf. v. 9). The certainty that God’s will, not man’s, is the controlling reality in every event shined through as the basis for reconciliation. No doubt Joseph had consoled himself many times with this principle of faith. He who is spiritual can perceive the hand of God in every event, and therefore is able to forgive those who wrong him

“Genesis,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A –  God is sovereign.  He will accomplish his purpose, even when the circumstances don’t look like it.  The Commentary brings up to good points.  While God is sovereign, we need to recognize that and activate our faith to grow through life’s journey.  Also, we need to forgive others who may have made the journey more difficult.

R – Lord, I thank you that you ar sovereign.  You hold everything in your hands.  I want to walk with you and activate my faith, even when it is challenging.  Help me to be stronger in my faith and ability to forgive others quickly.

S – God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure. He is a shield to all who take refuge in him. 

³¹ For who is God besides the Lord? And who is a rock? Only our God. ³² God—he clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.

Ps 18:30–32 CSB

O – Starts with God’s way is perfect and ends with our way is perfect.  How does that happen?  We elevate His word, take refuge in Him, have no other God besides Him and we allow him to work in our lives.

A – When we continue to grow in our relationship with God, we do all of these things.  One of the definitions of “perfect” is complete.  We are complete in Christ – He makes up the difference.

R – Lord, I invite you to work in me today so that I become more like you.  I won’t be complete on my own.  I need you to make up the difference where I lack.  I thank you for loving me enough to do for me today.

S – Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. ⁹ Joseph remembered his dreams about them and said to them, “You are spies. You have come to see the weakness of the land.

Genesis 42:8–9 CSB

O – Commentary:

they didn’t recognize him: Joseph was a grown man, not a boy. He was not wearing a beard, was dressed in Egyptian clothes, and was in an unexpected position, speaking to them through an interpreter (42:23).

42:9 You are spies! The brothers had considered Joseph a spy for their father and had treated him roughly (37:2, 14, 18–28). Joseph was putting them in a similar situation to see how they would respond

 New Living Translation Study Bible

A – God’s plans will not be stopped.  Joseph speaks to them harshly but there is an underlying tone of inviting them into the conversation.  He knows the dream – the whole family need to be there to bow down to him so he can take care of them.

R – Lord, your ways and plans are not ours.  There are times things just don’t make sense.  Help us to continue to grow and trust in you whether we “see it” or not.  You will accomplish what you have purposed for us.

S – The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.

Genesis 39:2 CSB

O – Sold into slavery, Joseph goes to Potiphar’s house and the Lord was with him.  In his slavery, he was successful.  

A – When the Lord is with us…and He is, we can be “successful” in all situations.  Whether seeing great results in our work or life, others begin to notice that we are “different” than others.  The key is staying close to God.

R – Heavenly Father, my goal is not success but to be a step closer to you today.  I invite your Holy Spirit to lead me in such a way that I align with your purpose and plan for me.  Success lies in your hands and I yield that to You.  My victory today will be in growing to be more like Christ in my thoughts, words and actions.

S – I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my body also rests securely

Psalms 16:8–9 CSB

O – The Lord’s presence is always with David and it gives him assurance.  He has joy and hope which gives him security in God.

A – With the uncertainty we face today, we have the same promise as David.  We get to walk in God’s presence through the Holy Spirit.  God is never far away; He is always with us.  This should give us confidence and security that we are not forsaken and that God has a plan.

R – Lord, I invite your Holy Spirit to lead me today and fulfill this promise.  I surrender myself to you so that I can allow your presence to be greater than my gifts, talents and desires.  I will walk confidently in you while leading others with love, courage and empathy.