My Father and my God,
You alone are the sovereign God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You have created all things in heaven and on earth, and You are the One who upholds all things by the Word of Your power. In You, all creatures live, move, and have their being. In Your almighty hand is the breath of all creatures, and You give all creatures the breath of life.
Heavenly Father, You created all things for Your glory, from the tiniest creatures to the great creatures of the sea. And then You created man as the chief of Your creatures, who is Your image-bearer, the crown of Your creation. You, O Lord, are the Creator of all things. But man, by the instigation of the devil and by willful disobedience, has fallen from his glorious position as vice-regent. We now sin against You in all our thoughts, words, and actions. We are a rebellious dust who desire to throw off Your majestic rulership and authority.
Mankind is so vicious! All men in their natural, unregenerate, fallen condition hate God and their neighbor. We want what You forbid, and we are discontented with what You give. O my God, as one whom You have redeemed, I still feel the pull of sin in my life, and I hate it. I want to be done with sin! I want to be done with despair, discouragement, discontentment, anxiety, rebellion, and depression! I realize that I still want things You forbid, and, too often, I am discontented with what You, in Your goodness and Providence, have lavished upon me and continue to lavish upon me daily. Me! The one who is unworthy of the least of Your blessings and truth! Thank you for giving me to Jesus so that He would save my wretched soul. I know I am not under the dominion of Satan and sin, but I feel the raging warfare in my soul against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Keep me walking in Your truth. Keep me resisting the world, the flesh, and the devil. Keep me on the narrow path that leads to life.
Help me, Lord Jesus! Mold me into Your image. Change my mind more and more. Keep me, as You have promised, in the palm of Your hand. Let me not stray from You as sheep, which I am, are prone to do. Uphold me with Your strong arm. Cause me, more and more, to hate what You hate and to love what You love! Thank you for saving me! Thank you for true faith! I know myself to be utterly unworthy of redemption, and utterly worthy of damnation! I have broken all Your commandments! But You, the One who knew no sin, became sin for me (and a multitude of sinners) that I might become the righteousness of God as I am united to You! You, Lord Jesus, are my grace, mercy, righteous, holiness, forgiveness, sanctification, glorification, my all in all! What a wondrous salvation! I love You and praise You, precious Jesus!
Holy Spirit, sanctify me! Make me, teach me, strengthen me, fill me, lead me, uphold me, guide me, revive me for Christ’s name’s sake! Make me more and more like Jesus, who went around doing good to all men and preached the Gospel of the Kingdom. Grant me greater wisdom, humility, love, compassion, joy, and all the fruits that You work in my life. Fill me with Your holy presence and power! Bless me to live for Christ, “for to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Bless me to preach Your holy Word. Forgive me when I rebel against You. Keep me from rebelling, lead me in paths of obedience for Christ’s name’s sake. Forgive my doubts, forgive my fears, forgive my discontent, forgive my stupidity in spiritual things, forgive my lethargy, forgive my lust, forgive my waywardness, forgive my indifference, forgive my hard-heartedness, forgive me, O my God. Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief! O Spirit of God, fall afresh on me and use me for the glory of God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!
Hear my prayer, O my God, for Jesus’ sake!
Amen!