Most Generous Lord, I know that it is Your desire to give me a “pure” heart so that I can respect, honor and serve You … one that is willing to obey You and follow Your lead … one that would cause me to strive to be more like You. To the extent I could put these things to work in my life, You’ve promised it would go well for me. Take the offering of my life and my will to You as a gift. Take my heart and make it like Yours so I can inherit the blessings You intended for me from the beginning. I want my innermost thoughts and all that I do to be motivated by my love and devotion to You. I know that if I draw closer to You, the seed of Your love will germinate into an openness that wants to share You with everyone. To be closer to You, I must learn to walk in Your ways, obey Your commands and make time for You an imperative in my life. Serving You needs to be with my whole heart, soul and body.
To enable me to become a devoted servant, show me how to put You on the throne of my life. Write Your Word upon my heart and guide me, through the Holy Spirit, into a life lived righteously. The more of You I take into my heart … the more I renew my mind with Your teachings … and, the more I die to self and live for You … the more I will become like You. The evidence of my love for You shows in my willingness to obey You. In submission, I want to lay my life at Your feet and see You smile with pride. I offer myself as a living sacrifice so that You can receive honor for all that I say or do. As I learn to surrender and obey, it will testify of my love for You. I freely want to give You my life, my time, my praise, my worldly goods, my talents and abilities, my will … all that comprises all that I am.
I want nothing to slow or impede my progress in moving closer to You. I want to maintain my focus on following in Your footsteps and making Your ways my ways. To do this I must dialogue with You through prayer, fasting and meditation on the truths contained in Your Word. Like the scriptures teach, I want to become a branch engrafted into You, the Vine. My hope is, that in giving You my all, I will come into harmony with Your will and Your ways. Through our growing closeness, I know I will be a recipient of the hope, confidence and faith I am searching for. In becoming one with You, my hope is that I will be able to speak Your words with simplicity and boldness. Ultimately, the foundation of a solid relationship with You, gives me security, confidence and hope for tomorrow. Teach me to be patient so I do not get ahead of myself in becoming more like You. I am confident that, if I go all in for You, my chances of success are limitless. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
II Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Amen, Larry!