My Father and My God,
You are glorious in power; ineffable in Your works; amazing in Your grace; awesome in Your being; incomprehensible in Your essence; and loving, kind, merciful, just, and holy in Your very nature! I am humbled by the very thought of the Triune God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit; One in essence and Three in person. You are worthy of all my praise, worship, adoration, and honor!
O Father, how I need You every moment of every day. Not simply because “in You I live and move and have my being.” But I need You to keep me in the palm of Your hand. I need You to uphold me by Your strong power and keep me on the straight path that leads to life. I need You, O Father, to keep me walking in the way of truth and down the path of righteousness. As the hymn writer wrote, “I need Thee ev’ry hour, Stay Thou nearby; Temptations lose their pow’r, When Thou art nigh. I need Thee, oh, I need Thee; Ev’ry hour I need Thee; Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.”
You, O LORD, are sovereign over all creation. You created all things by the Word of Your power, and You sustain all things for Your glory. You are Holy, Holy, Holy: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and You are gracious, long-suffering, and merciful. O my Father, I am vile, corrupt, and sinful. I have broken all Your commandments in thought, word, and deed! The words confessed by Robert Murray McCheyne apply to me as well, “The seed of every sin known to man is in my heart.” I am not worthy of the least of Your benefits or truth. Of myself, I am only worthy of damnation.
Yet, in a gracious wonder, You, O Father, have redeemed me by Your Son, Jesus Christ. You have translated me from death, darkness, rebellion, and mastery of Satan and sin into life, light, obedience, love, and rulership of Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, because of Your work of redemption, I am a child of God. I am no longer a slave of Satan and sin; I am now a slave of Crist and righteousness! Yet I still feel the daily pull of sin; I daily hear the call of the world to turn away from Jesus.
O my Father, O Lord Jesus, O Holy Spirit, don’t let me turn back to the world; don’t let me give in to sin. If left to myself, I would return to the mud like a pig that was once washed. If left to myself, I would return to lick up the vomit like an unclean dog. Don’t let me grow cold or indifferent regarding Your glory and all things holy, righteous, and true. Don’t let the fire in my heart be extinguished because of my disobedience or spiritual lethargy. Don’t let me grow despondent or impudent because of remaining indwelling sin.
Revive me, O Lord, revive me again! Holy Spirit, keep the fire of holiness and obedience burning brightly in my soul. The words of the hymn writer aptly describe me: “O to grace how great a debtor, daily I’m constrained to be! Let that grace now, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart; O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.”
O my God, I do love You: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But I know at least two things: I love You because You first loved me, and my love is weak, feeble, and sometimes imperceptible. Fill my heart, warm my heart, spread Your love abroad in my heart, O Holy Spirit! Cause me to love You in a greater measure. Cause me to have more love for my brothers and sisters in Christ, my neighbors, and my enemies. Forgive me, O Father, for all my persistent sins. Forgive me for my lack of love, lack of worship, lack of holiness, lack of kindness, and my lack of godly zeal. I lack in every area and aspect of my Christian life. Revive me; stir me up to love and good works. Bless me to be a blessing to You and to others! As the hymn declares, “Take my life, and let it be, Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise!”
O Father, hear my prayer for the sake and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Keep me humble when I obey; discipline me when I go astray! Use me for Your glory and the service of Your church!
In Jesus name!
Amen!