Most Loving Lord, You mean everything to me!! You’ve opened Your heart to me and welcomed me into a relationship with You. You’ve taken me out of darkness and introduced me to Your marvelous light. You have turned my heart of stone into one of love and caring. You have showered me with gifts I do not deserve. You have borne my sins in anguish and pain. You’ve taken my rebellion and selfishness and given me forgiveness and love. When I’ve turned away from You, You’ve come after me like the parable of the 99 sheep. When I am down, You pick me up. When I am tormented and in anguish, You comfort me. While my love is conditional, You receive me as I am. When I feel hopeless, You give me a reason to keep going. When I’m sad and filled with sorrow, You come to wipe away my tears and tell me how much You care about me. When others let me down, You remain steadfastly faithful.
How can I ever emulate such caring and love? Maybe if I just emulate the example that You gave me. I do not possess Your goodness, but I can cooperate with the Holy Spirit in following in Your footsteps. When I am unsure and do not know what to do next, You know what is best for me … so I ask that You communicate Your wisdom to the Holy Spirit who will then take over and guide me. Your wisdom then becomes my wisdom, when I seek it. Your strength becomes my strength, when I seek it. What I must understand and accept is the fact that there are no short cuts to becoming like You. If I struggle, You take me through the lessons over and over again until I master what You are trying to teach me. To resist, wastes my time and thwarts my progress. I must realize that life is short and my time on this earth is limited, so I have no time to waste.
I am encouraged by Your promise to strengthen me so I can overcome the challenges I will face. I must keep in mind that if you faced tribulation and overcame Yours then, if I follow in Your footsteps, I will overcome mine. Instead of abandoning me to face my troubles alone, You stand beside me, teaching me and strengthening me to face them. As I humble myself and subject myself to Your instruction, the easier it will become to emulate Your ways. As long as I remain loyal and obedient, I will be able to feel Your presence and see Your faithfulness. My ways will prosper as I follow the light You give. I know that I am safe when I am in harmony with You. When I am stubborn and rebellious, in order to remain useful, You discipline and correct me so I do not turn away. You mean everything to me and I do not want anything to impede my becoming like You. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”