Finding the Wordsಮಾದರಿ

Dear Lord Jesus,

You are the author of life. At Your Word, everything that was created was created. Your power, creativity, and love are evident in the world around us. Thank You for making this place so that we might come to know Your divine attributes and awesome power by observing what is around us in nature.

But Lord, as we look at the world around us, we also see that something is wrong. Storms that bring water to the land also bring destructive winds and hail. Armies that provide protection also invade. Marriage covenants that say ‘til death do us part are broken. Children whose bodies are made to grow and mature contract cancer. Lord, the broken and breaking world around us leads us collectively to notice that something is definitely wrong.

But we thank You that Your Word fills in the blanks for us. You did create this world and call it good, but our sin has disrupted that good and led to a curse. Thank You that Your love has motivated You to come to our rescue, giving Your life as a sacrifice for our sins so that we might be reconciled to You. Ultimately, we know that You will return to this earth one day and make all things new, removing the curse once and for all.

But Lord, we also come to You today and ask for Your transforming, recreative power to give us hope and life change today. May we not respond to temptation by thinking we are destined to fall or to repeat sin’s deadly patterns. In Christ, we are made new. Your Word tells us that some of us were sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, greedy, drunkards, revilers, and swindlers. But by Your power, we have been sanctified and justified by the Spirit of God who lives in us. Thank You for the hope of life change to either have our desires reformed or to have the strength to abstain when our flesh, the world, or the devil beckon us to sin. We need not lower Your standard when, by Your grace, You raise us to it.

Thank You for Your new life-giving work. We pray we would rely on You in all the moments of our days going forward as we walk about in newness of life.

Jesus, in Your mighty name we pray, AMEN