Life here is nothing like life eternal

You, Jesus, are the pivot point upon which all of eternity turns. Without You and the ultimate sacrifice You made for us, our sins would still be with us.

We can’t even imagine what heaven is like

You have told us that You go to prepare a place for us so that where You are we will be. It was “doubting” Thomas who said, at the time, “we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way.” Thank You Jesus for Your response. You are the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through You.

If you know you are guilty of sin, what hope do you have?

Father, You have sent Jesus and our response to his offer of salvation makes him our Advocate. What a perfect scenario. We are on trial and the one with the power to convict steps up and says “not guilty”. It will be the encapsulating righteousness of the Messiah that will allow us to stand in Your Holy, perfect, eternally blissful presence.

One true God, one true Bible and only one body of believers?

Father, given what you have taught us, how is it that mankind has developed so many different religions and denominations? If there is only one body of believers, won’t heaven be a place of unity and not division? Your Word says, we will be one body, a people worshipping You, the one true God.

Sorrow sets the stage for repentance and eternal life

Father, You have taught us that humility and contrition precede repentance and now we see that it is accompanied by sorrow, genuine sorrow for our sins. This sorrow is not the sort of sorrow the world feels about having made mistakes but it is sorrow leading to repentance and to the joy of a changed heart.

Pray without ceasing? How can anyone do that?

We are asked to pray without ceasing. Teach us this day how to implement that teaching. Help us include You in everything we do and think. It is Your will that we enjoy the fruits of Your Holy presence (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control), constantly. Our fleshly instincts take us in the opposite direction, too often. We seek to be like You, more and more. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.

The tongue, a dangerous weapon?

We see, Father, that a fig tree does not bear olives. Are there times, Father, that we claim to be Your children and then openly sin against You and others? Father, we pray for fidelity, for consistency in our daily walk. Help us never be hypocritical, bringing shame to ourselves, when we deeply want to be as You, Jesus.