Jesus, thank you for teaching us that it is critical that we “finish well”. Whether we serve You briefly or for many years, help us, we pray, not to think of ourselves as more deserving than others. Take the pride we sometimes feel as we perform good works far from us and replace it with joy as we experience Your will for our life.
From innocence to guilt; growing up is hard to do.
We thank You Father for the simplicity of the Gospel. Help us, this day to humbly enter into Your Holy presence with a faith that is like a child’s faith.
So easy to love God, so hard to love our neighbors!
Father, loving You, as we look at the wonder of Your creation, and learn of Your love for us, seems relatively easy compared to loving each other. We are “in the flesh” far too often, making it difficult for our children, spouses and friends to easily love us.
Peace now…even in strife, followed by eternal joy. Perfect!
You bless us in good times and bad but it is the latter in which we humbly seek your help. Teach us to bring every single circumstance of our lives to You, asking for Your Holy hand upon us.
Must I be humble and contrite to be blessed?
Father, we do “works” in Your name of all kinds and we feel proud, at times. Thank You for teaching us that our heart must be right with You for our works to be blessed. You teach us that humility and contrition must precede our efforts to please You.
Goodness over evil, love over hate, joy over depression…
Father, You have told us that you have reserved a place for us in heaven. We do not know a lot about heaven, but this we know. It will be a place of perfection, in You, reserved for us because of Your grace and mercy and the enabling atonement of Jesus.
The death of a saint is glorius…the death of an unrepentant sinner is an eternal tragedy.
Jesus, Paul reminds us that when judgment is dispensed it will be a righteous thing because it will be based upon justice. We know Father that the mercy seat sits upon the top of the Ark of the Covenant (the Law) and that mercy will prevail for those who seek it.
Should we expect to suffer as a result of our witness?
Father, You have called us saints and yet our hearts convict us. Here You tell us to sanctify our hearts, an active process of cleansing and renewal by You, that in good conscience we might provide others with a good defense of our love for You in meekness and fear, avoiding arrogance or the suggestion of appearing judgmental.
Problems abound; God is your solution, forever.
Father, we can see that this simple promise is the key to our salvation. If we draw near to You, You will draw near to us, The opposite probably is true as well. If we distance ourselves from You, You will distance Yourself from us. We know from many scriptures that our sins grieve You. It seems our neglect of You, as we live our lives, does the same.
Your Presence surrounds us. We are never alone.
Keep us from valuing anything or anyone more than our relationship with You. You are the constant, unchanging Presence. Jesus, You alone are our Judge and our Redeemer. Strengthen our fidelity to You.