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.
Does anyone enjoy hating, anger, impatience, etc. There is an alternative…
If we yield the fruits of the Holy Spirit, we will be as “sanctified”, a posture we seek but which eludes us too often. Father, we need to be more consistent. We know, Jesus, that being like You, in our relationships, is Your desire for us. You equip us to do so when we ask. For Your forgiveness and empowerment, we are grateful.
Trials; tests; inevitable and beneficial…
Father, it seems that the only way we could possibly feel joyful about experiencing trials, is to know that You permit the trial and that the trial will force our faith to be stronger.
Impatience…the natural state of things?
Father, we are very impatient, by nature. Not only do we fail to wait upon Your leading but we naturally want to know what tomorrow will bring. You teach us to say “Lord willing” when we announce a goal or a plan of action. That helps remind us that we may make plans but we need to pause and to ask ourselves if we are truly consulting with You, praying for Your will to be done.
When you meet Jesus, will He say, welcome friend…
Father, As a result of Your grace and mercy, you promise us that through our faith in the resurrection of Jesus, we have eternal life. From this side we do not completely understand nor appreciate that which awaits but we will. Salvation from sin, suffering and weakness is assured. We know that joy and celebration will characterize heaven.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are yours…accept them!
Father in the midst of the turmoil of this world, Paul reminds us of what we can experience right now. We look forward to no more pain and disabilities for eternity. Here and now You grant us the fruits of the Spirit, freely given to all who seek them; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. No matter how difficult life can be, these promises are to us all, right now.
Lord, lunatic or liar, a true trilemma…(C.S.Lewis)
Father, The beloved apostle John was a disciple, witness and friend of Jesus. John saw Jesus, listened to Him speak and touched Him. Here we learn again that Jesus was with You in the beginning and that He was a manifestation of You to us. Father, we know that Jesus said, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father”. Thank You Father for providing us with a tangible reality, Your living Son.
Just how hard is it to be certain of eternal life?
Jesus, the gate is narrow, but it is You that pushes it open, it is You that keeps us from stumbling, it is You who joyfully present us faultless to our Father God. It is You Jesus who has taught us, repeatedly, that we can only be “faultless” when Your righteousness envelops us.
The pain of birth, the joy of an eternal future
Jesus, You taught Your disciples of Your impending crucifixion and they, at first, did not understand. We now stand on the other side of that event. You likened the depth of Your pain to childbirth, in that while it seemed unfathomable, shortly thereafter the joy of birth turned the pain into rejoicing in a new life, a child created in Your image. Jesus, You have gone through pain, disgrace and separation for each one of us and have emerged our risen Savior. Your suffering has led us to the portal of eternal life, to our Spiritual birth. Now we rejoice, not in the suffering, which we too will occasionally experience, but in the resurrection and redemption, first of You, then of us.