The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
-Psalm 19:9a
Today’s liturgical psalm response: “The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.” (Ps. 19:9a) One definition of “precept” is “a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought.” Would I want just anyone to regulate my behavior or thoughts? Mmmm, probably not. But in this psalm, David was talking about the precepts of the LORD. Would I be okay with the LORD regulating my behavior or thoughts?
Although many people might say no, I’d like to think my answer would be a resounding YES. If the Lord doesn’t give us rules– guidance, if you will– then how will we know the right way to live? Just like the father and child in the image above, the father holds the child’s hand to keep her safe and show her where to go and not go. But what about us? What is the “right” way for us to live? I argue that the right way is God’s way found in Scripture and in the teachings of the Church. The way of charity. The way of virtue.
So why are we on the sidewalk praying? Because of charity and virtue! We know that the LORD gives us the right way to live: to save sex for marriage….. to be open to life within marriage….. to give our children the gift of life and the gift of faith. We pray on that sidewalk because THOSE precepts give JOY to the heart!!!! May all those PP clients and all passersby know deep within that the precepts of the Lord give JOY to the heart.
Reports from the Sidewalk:
Fran:
I arrived at PP at 6:50 am, hoping to be there early enough to help Diane and Tom unload their car, but they were already 3/4 of the way done setting up everything. Within the next 5 minutes, Anthony, Dean, and Conrad were on site and ready to begin praying. These Soldiers for Christ strategically spread out so that the east, south and west points of the line of demarcation would be manned by prayer warriors. Although the battlefield was quiet, the enemy never rests, and so we remained vigilant in prayer. Just before it was time to leave, Anthony shared with me that there is a place in town, the Parkway East overpass ramp, where the names of the homeless who have died have been memorialized. He wondered if there might be enough bricks on the 933 building, one brick for each of the innocents who have been murdered inside PP, where their name could be recorded and never forgotten. Their names may not be inscribed on the building but we know that their souls will rest safely in the arms of the Lord for all of eternity and they will be in our hearts forever. It wasn’t long thereafter that the sun rose up over the rooftops of the buildings across the street, and the 9-11a prayer warriors arrived with warm smiles and even warmer hearts to carry on our mission.
Thank you, Dean and Conrad! Thank you to Anthony, such a faithful prayer warrior!
Judy:
Lincoln Place Church of the Nazarene shift with Meredith, Chuck, and Judy. We were happy to have Bill join us and sprinkle the building with holy water.
It was a very quiet day today. No abortions. Thanking God for that.
It was a beautiful sunny day and we soaked up the warmth.
We prayed over the building and those inside that God would take this abomination out of here and give these employees a good job that does not support the culture of death.
We exchanged a few friendly words with the security guard. Praising God for that.
So we spent the morning greeting passersby. For as many people who ignored us completely, there were a lot of people who responded and greeted us in return and some blessed us as well.
Thank you, beautiful and faithful prayer warriors!!
Beth:
Rose and I were lucky to have Bonnie, Johanna, and Barb with us today. Since this was a no-abortion day, lots of prayer time.
Thank you for being there today, ladies!
Cecilia:
Thank you to Fr. Jim and all of these wonderful folks! May God bless you for being there!
Rege:
Pete and I were joined for the first hour by Megan and for the second hour by Amy. It was pretty peaceful with brief conversations with some people passing by. The passing of the torch from one session to the next is always a joy. Smiles, handshakes, hugs, and words of encouragement are such a blessing to begin and end each two hour session!
Thank you, Amy, for praying with us! Thank you, Pete, for your faithfulness!
Charlie:
Cool windy night on the sidewalk with lots of prayers. Lots of people walking by, so we got to witness a lot tonight with just our signs and smiles. Tonight was a good reminder that we are there to witness while being prayerful and somber. I was grateful to share my time with Amy, David, Mary, and Anthony.
Wonderful faithful prayer volunteers with Shift Buddy Amy. Thank you all!
The precepts of Our Heavenly Father give joy to our hearts.
May we trust in Him for that constant care.
