Friday, September 25, 2009

Rejoicing in the Lord


Philippians 4:4 -  Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!

Lord, I thank You for this day.  I thank You for Your life of obedience and submission to Your Father.  You were obedient even unto death on the cross.  You died for the sins of all mankind that we might have a place in heaven.

I thank You that You chose me and called me to enter into relationship with You.  I offer my life up to You as a living sacrifice.  My heart desires to also be obedient to You.  I know I fall so short sometimes, but You forgive when I call my mistakes to Your attention, when I lay my faults before You, not that You didn't already know! 

Lord God, You did an unheard of thing for us. You took upon Yourself all the sins of all the people, past, present and future. And You knew that this was to be Your destiny. You allowed Yourself to be nailed to a tree.  But You willingly did it.  You are God come down from heaven to live in the flesh to show us the Way to Truth. It is You, as Truth, that brings freedom to those who seek it.

We are living in perilous times. A day will come when so many will question what's happening in the world and they will want answers. My answer is You.  I pray that others will find You and begin to trust in You. I pray they will seek You in their time of trouble. It is not about the life we live here on earth.  We all must die some day. All of life is "vanity and a grasping at the wind."  You came to earth to show us a better life, in You, for all eternity.

The ultimate goal in life is not knowing who You are, knowing of You, but knowing You personally. It's accepting You into our lives. It's faith in You.  It's the grace that we obtain through our faith.  It's putting our lives in Your hands and letting You work out our lives according to Your plan. Who knows me better than You do? You created me and know my thoughts before I do. You know the number of my days. Nothing, absolutely nothing about me is kept hidden from You.  

I thank You for Your faithfulness. I thank You for Your love. I can't possibly love You more than You love me, or how You love all people. I'm just thankful You do. I thank You for the wisdom You so graciously pour out through the words in Your great love letter to us, the Bible. I'm thankful that through Your Word you bring life to weary souls, life to the broken, life to the sinner, no questions asked. It's there for the taking.  

This life on earth is meaningless but life in Christ is so rewarding. It's not about what we have in this life but what we have in You for our future in heaven.  

Lord, only You know how many people can say for sure where they will go after they die. I know it's not about the works we do on earth, but all about our relationship with You. You tell us to seek You and when we do, You are there to give abundantly. Lord, I can't imagine just how many things I've let slip through my hands, my life, because I've missed an opportunity with You. Keep me ever vigilant.  Open my ears to hear and my mind to recognize the truth from what is false. Keep me on the straight path that You have laid before me.  Let me not look to the left or to the right. Let me always be focused on You because You are the Light in the darkness that is in the world and the Light to my path.  

In You we live and move and have our being. It is in You that we get our strength. It is in You that we are more than conquerors.  Give me this day Your daily bread.  Keep me from harm, keep me in Your presence. Be my Rock, both to stand upon and to hide within in the cleft.  Be my portion for this day.  

I thank You that You can be all things to all people, O God. Let them all know You with the depths of their souls.  Let them all seek You and know Your righteousness. Open the eyes of their hearts that they may see You and know You. Let Your Word penetrate their hearts and fill their souls, for Your Word is life. You are the Word and You are the life.  You supply all of our needs.

Thank You again for this day. It is the day You have made...I am rejoicing in it. 

Psalm 100:4 -  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 

1 comment: