Morning Prayer for Saturday, February 7, 2026

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Praying the Scriptures

Saturday Morning Prayer

February 7, 2026

“…but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 3:13b-14

Lord,

As the pale light of dawn begins to outline the sharp peaks of the Florida Mountains, I invite Your presence into the quiet chill of this Saturday morning. The high desert air is crisp and still, resting over the dormant mesquite and the frost-touched earth, holding its breath in this short month where winter still lingers yet spring waits just beneath the surface. In this silence, I feel the weight of my own smallness against the vastness of the New Mexico sky, a humble reminder of my need for You as I wake to the possibilities of a new day.

I ask for the grace to leave behind the shadows of yesterday, releasing the failures and regrets that try to cling to my spirit like the cold. Just as the sun inevitably crests the horizon to warm the scrubland, I pray that Your light would break through my uncertainties and illuminate the path forward, reminding me that my own strength is insufficient but Yours is boundless. Help me to turn my eyes away from what is past and fix them firmly on the hope You offer, straining forward with a heart that trusts in Your power to work perfectly within my weakness.

Grant me the courage to step into the open, unafraid of the exposure or the journey that remains unfinished. Let me walk with quiet confidence, believing that even the smallest seeds of faith I plant today can flourish into something beautiful under Your care, just as the desert eventually blooms from the driest ground. I press on toward the calling You have placed upon my life, embracing this day not with fear, but with the joyful assurance that You are already here, guiding me into the growth and change You have prepared.

Amen.

May we go forth with the courage to step into the open, trusting that the God who calls us forward will bring new growth from every small act of faith we offer today.

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The Bible passages come from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyrighted © 1989, 1993 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America and are used by permission. All rights reserved. Praying the Scriptures is penned daily by Kenny Sallee, ThM.

Verse of the Day for Saturday, February 7, 2026

 

Verse of the Day

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Psalm 97:10

The LORD loves those who hate evil; he guards the lives of his faithful; he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.

Introduction

At the heart of biblical faith is a reciprocal relationship: God’s sovereignty calls for a human response, and human loyalty meets with divine protection. Psalm 97:10 encapsulates this dynamic in a single, powerful verse. It serves as both a comfort and a challenge, assuring us of God's protective presence while defining the moral character of those who belong to Him. This verse invites us to consider that "loving God" is not merely a sentiment, but a stance—one that actively rejects what destroys life and embraces the One who preserves it.

Understanding the Context

To fully grasp the weight of this promise, we must place it within its liturgical setting:

• The Enthronement Psalms: Psalm 97 belongs to a collection known as the "Enthronement Psalms" (Psalms 93, 95–99). These hymns celebrate the Kingship of Yahweh, often starting with the proclamation, "The Lord is King!" (v. 1). They were likely used in temple worship to reaffirm that, despite the chaos of history or the boasting of pagan idols, Israel’s God remains the supreme ruler of the cosmos.

• Cosmic vs. Personal: The earlier verses of Psalm 97 describe God in cosmic terms—clouds, thick darkness, fire, and lightning (vv. 2–5). The mountains melt like wax before Him. However, in verse 10, the focus shifts dramatically from the cosmic to the personal. The same God who melts mountains is intimately involved in guarding the individual lives (nephesh) of His faithful. It is a transition from transcendent power to immanent care.

Commentary

"The Lord loves those who hate evil..."

There is a fascinating textual nuance here. The Hebrew Masoretic Text reads this as an imperative command: "O you who love the Lord, hate evil!" However, the NRSVCE (and other ancient versions) renders it as a descriptive statement: "The Lord loves those who hate evil."

Both readings offer profound truth, but the NRSVCE highlights a key theological alignment. To be "loved" by God is to share His character. God is holy; therefore, He is incompatible with evil. Those who are in a loving relationship with Him will naturally find themselves repulsed by injustice, corruption, and malice. "Hating evil" here is not about harboring bitterness; it is the healthy immune response of a soul aligned with God’s goodness.

"...he guards the lives of his faithful..."

The word for "faithful" here is Hasidim, derived from hesed (steadfast, covenant love). The Hasidim are not just "believers" in an intellectual sense; they are the "loyal ones" who have bound themselves to Yahweh’s covenant.

The promise is that He "guards" (shomer) their lives. This word invokes the image of a watchman or a sentry. It implies vigilance. In a world where the faithful may feel vulnerable to the "wicked," God is portrayed as the unsleeping sentry over their very souls.

"...he rescues them from the hand of the wicked."

The "hand" is a Hebraic metaphor for power or authority. To be in someone's "hand" is to be under their control. The Psalmist acknowledges a grim reality: the faithful do sometimes fall under the temporary power of wicked systems or individuals. Yet, the verse promises a "rescue" (deliverance). While this can mean physical safety, in the broader context of the Psalms, it often points to an ultimate preservation—God ensures that the wicked never have the final word over the destiny of the righteous.

Application for Today

• Moral Clarity in a Gray World: We live in a culture that often prefers to tolerate rather than differentiate. This verse challenges us to recover a holy aversion to evil. This does not mean hating people, but hating the evil that defaces God's image—racism, greed, exploitation, and dishonesty. We cannot truly love the Lord without finding these things repugnant.

• The Antidote to Anxiety: Many believers today struggle with a sense of precariousness—worries about the future, the church, or societal collapse. Psalm 97:10 serves as an anchor. It reminds us that our security does not depend on our ability to outmaneuver the wicked, but on God’s commitment to guard His Hasidim.

• Identity as "The Faithful": We are reminded that our primary identity is not political or professional, but covenantal. We are the Hasidim. Our safety is found not in our resources, but in our loyalty to the King who reigns.

Reflection

Psalm 97:10 offers us a definition of protection that is deeper than mere physical safety. If God guards our lives, it means He guards the integrity of our souls. He ensures that even if we face the "hand of the wicked," we are never crushed by it. The evil we hate will not overcome us, because the God who loves us is King. We are invited today to rest in that Kingship—to stop striving for control and start trusting in His guard.

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The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Verse of the Day is a daily inspirational and encouraging Bible verse, extracted from BibleGateway.com. Commentary by Kenny Sallee, ThM.

Daily Devotions for Saturday, February 7, 2026: Untethered: The Courage to Step Into the Open

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The Daily Devotional

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Untethered: The Courage to Step Into the Open

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.” — Hebrews 11:8

Introduction

Today’s date carries the weight of two massive "first steps." In 1964, four young men from Liverpool landed at JFK, stepping into a cultural unknown that would change the world. Exactly twenty years later, astronaut Bruce McCandless II became the first human to float in the vacuum of space without a literal safety line, relying entirely on his Manned Maneuvering Unit. Both moments required a radical kind of untethered trust—the willingness to leave the "known" behind to embrace a new frontier. Faith, at its core, often asks us to do the same.

Reflection

To look at the photo of McCandless—a lone white suit against the infinite black of the cosmos—is to feel a sense of vertigo. He was 320 feet away from the Challenger, held by no rope, only by his trust in the machinery he wore and the physics he understood.

Think about the first time you learned to ride a bike without training wheels. There is a specific, heart-piercing moment when the hand of the person holding the seat lets go. For a second, you are untethered. You feel the wobble, the sudden lack of a physical anchor, and the immediate urge to look back. But the moment you look back, you usually fall. Success requires looking forward into the open space, trusting that the momentum you’ve been given is enough to keep you upright.

God’s call to "untether" isn't about recklessness; it’s about shifting our dependency. Like Abraham, we are often asked to leave our "harbors"—the habits, jobs, or mindsets that feel safe but keep us stationary—to follow a God who resides in the "Great Unknown." We aren't floating aimlessly; we are moving toward an inheritance that can only be reached if we are willing to let go of the dock.

Application

Identify one area where you are staying "tethered" out of fear rather than necessity. Is it a conversation you’ve avoided? A creative project you’re scared to start? A change in your routine that feels "too big"?

Today’s Challenge: Take one "small, brave step" that moves you beyond your comfort zone. Send that email, speak that truth, or say "yes" to an invitation that intimidates you. Trust that the same God who guides the stars is steadying your pulse.

Conclusion

Growth never happens in the center of the safety zone; it happens at the edges where we finally decide to trust God more than we trust our own security measures. Whether you are landing in a new "culture" or floating in a new "vocation," remember that being untethered from the world allows you to be more fully attached to the Spirit.

Prayer

Divine Guide, thank You for the pioneers who show us what is possible when we move beyond our boundaries. Give us the courage to let go of the lifelines we’ve outgrown. When we feel the vertigo of the unknown, steady our hearts with the reminder that we can never wander beyond Your reach. Help us to see the "open space" in our lives not as a void to be feared, but as a canvas for Your grace. Amen.

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Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA

The Bible texts are from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible, copyright © 1989, 1993, the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.