Merciful Emmanuel, it is early in the morning. I haven't slept yet. I had to work so late. Here I thought I was going to have a vacation and I am working very hard. I know I needed the extra money. Thank you for the overtime. I do need to get caught up on the bills. But more than anything, thank you for the way you convicted me of my sin and told me, through Hezechius of Sinai, to be vigilant, to guard my heart. I had been growing weary of well doing. But he was a model to me of faithfulness. I easily forget that I am not alone, that I am surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. You taught me that I had become arrogant. You showed me that I had failed to detest my lack of love for you, my carelessness, my failure to rule over my flesh, breaking fasts and being tempted by images and memories of women. You showed me I must hate sin and call on you constantly to guard against it. And you reminded me to consider your grace in others while seeing only sin in myself. You also revealed to me so beautifully that the somewhat mechanical process of praising, giving thanks, confessing and supplicating was more than a devotional formula. It was something that in the mystery of your grace in my heart that took place all at once. You overwhelmed me. And I entered into worship.

Lord let me learn from the spider. That I should wait on you in stillness, with you as my net, quieting and stilling my heart. When the enemy comes with any impure thought I ask that you catch him for me. Help me see what has flown into the net. Let me hold every thought captive, Lord, you who are an ever present help, my Emmanuel. I praise you for your mercy.