O God of Purity and Hope, in the same way that the soil’s nourishment gives rise to the sprout and the rain causes the seed to grow, so does my relationship with You make Your righteousness rise up and grow in me. It is Your purity that challenges me to avoid sin so that I can remain close to You. It is Your example, lived out here on earth, that shows me a better way. It is the sacrifices involved in Your passion that teaches me it is better to give than receive and shows me how selflessness is critical to overcoming trials and giving myself in service. The calling to be pure in thought and deed is a calling to a higher love that makes me more like You. By sinning, I limit my access to You and Your purity. Each day I face decisions to do the right thing or violate Your code and expectations. What makes me more like You is not my mind, but my heart … not my ability to reason, but my ability to love. The way of righteousness is not easy but is filled with rewards, benefits and relationships that cannot be bought.
Striving for purity and holiness calls for me to … give You time every day in prayer powered by a deep, unquenchable love for You and nothing else … willfully surrender to the demands of Your Word … being open and honest in all my dealings with You and others … live in reverent awe and respect for You, knowing that You see everything I do … be faithful in assembling with other believers and serving others … carry out my duties and responsibilities to my family joyfully and without grumbling (including the elder members too) … with Your help and my own resolve, do not allow impure thoughts or actions to become a part of my life … be truly sorrowful for my sins and truly resolve to avoid the occasions of those sins in the future … and, set aside those things that try to elevate themselves above Your place in my life. You ask a lot of me, in my quest for holiness like Yours, but there is ample help and blessings that come from my good choices.
O Gracious Lord, You are my refuge, strength and ever-present help in times of need. I am confident that whatever You call me to be is attainable because You promised to keep me from being restrained by obstacles I can not overcome. I am strengthened by Your promise to stand by me in whatever circumstances I find myself. You’ve given me the gift of the Holy Spirit to inspire and encourage me to go further in becoming more like You than I ever thought possible. From my efforts to pursue holiness, I’ve gained the strength and perseverance to be successful. You told me Your grace is sufficient … and, in that sufficiency, I know I can do the things necessary to take hold of Your holiness. I must make every effort to listen to the words You speak because in them are spirit and life. I pledge to You this day that I will spend my life in pursuit of holiness. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
I Peter 1:16 Just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all that you do; for it is written “Be holy, because I am holy.”