Today’s Rising Prayer

Father,

On this day we come before You with nothing that You need.  We sometimes scramble to bring You something when we come to pray. Today, I bring you nothing more than a heart with two spiritual chambers: one full of praise and one full of need. We are not quite able to comprehend that You have eternally existed in perfect self-sufficiency.  You needed nothing before You created angels.  You needed nothing before making space and time and all matter.  Before Adam was formed, there was nothing lacking in You. When we slow down and remember that You made everything motivated by Your own desire and delight, we are stopped cold in our spiritual tracks.  Everything which You created, You did so to enjoy it all.  This day, I am reminded again that the highest aim of Your joy in creation rests chiefly upon Your children. You assigned nothing else a greater value than You gave to the Bride of Your beloved son. Remembering what I have been in my past, I am humbled, thrilled and staggered that You love us so.

Thank You that You love us fully, even as You cannot love all that we have done.  We are not castaways from Your presence. We are neither abandoned nor replaced.  The truth which is contained in the doctrine of our adoption staggers us.  We were once enemy combatants against You, and You changed us so that we might become happy children of the Most High God, made to forever eat at Your table as sons and daughters. You have cleaned us – not merely in a topical, superficial way, but in a deep, holistic manner, with a divinely empowered thoroughness, purging every sin and stain from our records.  You have inhabited us, coming to live within us in the Person of Holy Spirit, whose tabernacle we now are.  You have empowered us in this faith-walk to commit, to endure and to overcome.  You accompany us throughout our whole journey.  If I am weak today, You are still omnipotent.  If I am wayward today, You are omnipresent and know exactly where to find me.  If I am confused today, You are omniscient and hold full understanding of my past, present and future.  For any who are pursued and attacked today, You are their high tower and rock of defense.  For the sick and ailing, You have attached healing to Your very name.  To the abandoned and forgotten, the rejected and the refused, the lonely and unfriended, You are the constant and faithful companion.

Because of all who You are, I am reminded what the ancient wise man taught us when he penned, “Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.” (Proverbs 23:18).  Please help us to proclaim this truth in the context of grace through Jesus Christ.  Help us to tell the rejected, lonely, and fearful that there remains a perfect hope in Your Son, Jesus. Help us to discipline our own hearts and minds to walk in this confidence.  This world is bleak…but this world is temporary.  Eternity with You is glorious! And it is forever and forever! We set our minds on things above, not on things of this earth.  We look to the throne of Jesus Christ, where He sits at the right hand of the Father.  We wait, leaping within, believing with everything inside of us that the time is very, very soon. We are stirred today in anticipation of the coming moment where we will see the King returning to this staggering, groaning planet, and we cannot wait until we will bow before His unending throne.

Hasten that day, Father.  In the mighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.