O LORD, You are the Sovereign of this universe: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, ruling and reigning according to Your good pleasure and purpose. You are majestic in holiness, awesome in power, infinite in knowledge, and ineffable in Your Providence. I am humbled that You are mindful of me, even as David declared in Psalm 8, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?”
You have regenerated my heart, called me, granted me faith, liberated my will, redeemed me, reconciled me, forgiven me, cleansed me, washed me, adopted me, justified me, are sanctifying me, and have promised to glorify me, and You alone provide me with all things necessary for life and godliness, all for the sake of Christ’s person and work. I know that all I have need of You provide, because You are my Good Shepherd Who cares for His sheep.
Father, You have taken me off the broad road that leads to destruction and set my feet upon the narrow road that leads to life. O Holy Spirit, You have caused me to know and believe Your truth and have blessed me with the godly desire to continually reject the lies of Satan, sin, and the ungodly philosophy and ideology of this fallen world, which is under Satan’s rule. Lord Jesus, You continually teach me Your truth and reveal Yourself to me in Your Word, more and more, as You cause me to grow in Your image and likeness.
Heavenly Father, You cause me to walk in wisdom. You humble me in Your sight. You teach me to love You, Your Word, my brothers and sisters in Christ (the Church), my neighbors, and even my enemies. You teach me and strengthen me to strive for peace with all men as much as it depends upon me. And You forgive me when I daily fall short of glorifying You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength! You forgive when I confess to You and cleanse me from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). O Father, I am not worthy of the least of Your blessings and truth. I am needy, and I am helpless and hopeless apart from Your grace in Jesus Christ! In and of myself, I am only worthy of damnation for I have broken all Your commandments in thought, word, and deed.
Yet in a gracious wonder, I don’t stand before You in and of myself but I am in Christ, united to Him forever, and am covered and clothed by His righteousness, holiness, and perfect satisfaction. He alone is my Rock, Refuge, and Redeemer, and in Him I trust fully and completely for my standing before Your holy throne. Therefore, You love me for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, the One Who has fulfilled all the righteous requirements of Your Law in my place. Christ is the One who went to the cross and suffered for all my sins, the One Who was condemned in my place and on my behalf. The One who knew no sin yet became sin for me and a multitude of sinners, which no man can number, so that I/we might become the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
Jesus arose from the dead, which declared, O Father, that You have received His atoning work on my behalf and also on behalf of all that You gave to Christ. Hallelujah! I am eternally forgiven, eternally blessed, eternally loved, and forever cared for because of Jesus! I have everlasting life because of Jesus! I am washed because of Jesus! I am adopted into the family of God because of Jesus! My name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life because of Jesus!
Oh, how I love Jesus! O Lord, I am humbled by Your love, grace, mercy, and Your sustaining and transforming work of sanctification. I am forever thankful that You loved me from before the foundation of the world, You love me now, and You continually provide for me and have promised to never leave me nor forsake me! (Heb. 13:5). My Father, I am forever humbled and thankful to be one of Your adopted children. As Your child, discipline me when I stray from Your sheepfold; humble me when I walk in obedience to Your Word. May I ever praise Your holy name!
In Christ’s holy name I pray!
Amen!