Praise be to you, Lord, for your kind and consistent, detailed and direct involvement in our lives. I exalt you, Lord, for how you are so persistent in pouring pardon into our lives, giving us the opposite of what we deserve. Thank you for your patience with us as we zigzag along, bouncing between arrogant rebellion and abject self-pity.
We are so prone to spiritual amnesia! We so quickly forget the most basic spiritual truths:
–that we deserve condemnation and rejection but you constantly give us the opposite;
–that we can do nothing without you;
— that you are our Shepherd so we will not lack;
–that we can offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving instead of complaining;
–that we can keep on your full armor so we can effectively fight the devil rather than people.
But you do not give up on us, Lord. You are gracefully, lovingly consistent in correcting, reminding, protecting and, when necessary, rebuking.
You, Lord, are a wonder, too good to be true–but are actually even better than that! I thank you so much, Lord, for the privilege of not just being in your family, but of being able to come, at any minute, directly to you in the throne room of Heaven, and to crawl up in your lap for comfort, encouragement and redirection.
Help us to live in the light of your great goodness, your rich righteousness, your lavish love and your powerful presence. Help us to join you today in your plans, to shed our pride, our selfishness, our lust for significance and security, and instead to find rest in you alone, humbly bowing before you in the fear of God, joyfully accepting all you will bring in your plan for us.
Help us to move by prayer, to work through obedience and to overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit so that you may be honored throughout this day.
