Uniquely Gifted To Be A Part

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 

–1 Corinthians 12:12 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Thank You that You made me with specific gifts so I could fill a unique function within the body of Christ—which is His church.

Thank You that just like our bodies have many parts—specifically designed to make a unique and vital contribution to the body as a whole—so we all are specifically designed to make a unique and vital contribution to the church as a whole.

Thank You that I don’t have the responsibility to perform all the functions of the whole body—that just because something needs to be done, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I am the one who is supposed to do it.

Thank You that I am called to work within the gifts and talents You have placed in me, so that I can be effective in what I do and truly fulfill Your plan for me within the body.

Help me to not fall into the trap of comparing myself to others, either thinking that I don’t have anything worthy to contribute to the body of believers, or that somehow my contribution is more vital than others.

Help me to celebrate how each part interdependently contributes to the whole and encourage others to use their individual gifts and talents for His glory, as God orchestrates us all to work together to accomplish His plans and purposes.

Thank You that You made me with specific gifts so I could fill a unique function within the body of Christ—which is His church.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The One Who Is Worthy Of The Glory

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

   For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to give him advice?
   And who has given him so much
    that he needs to pay it back?

 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory.  All glory to him forever! Amen.

Romans 11:33-36  (NLT)

Dear God,

May I never fail to give You all of the glory—for all that I have and for all that I am!  For all things come from You and exist by Your power and are intended for Your glory!

Sometimes, I think I’m pretty smart.  But then I am reminded that what I know is so very small when compared to the great riches of Your wisdom and Your knowledge.  How could I ever hope to really understand all Your decisions and all of Your ways?!

Nobody can know Your thoughts, nor can anyone understand so much that he should advise You on anything!  Nor can anyone give You so much that You would owe them anything!

Yet, in Your mercy, You show me what I need to know and ask me, by faith, to trust You with the rest.

I am grateful that I am not the One who holds it all together, and even more grateful that I can rest in the fact that You do just that—You hold it all together by the power of Your might and for Your glory!

May I never fail to give You all of the glory—for all that I have and for all that I am!  For all things come from You and exist by Your power and are intended for Your glory!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Of Choice and Consequence

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.  Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

--Galatians 6:7-8 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Help me live to please Your Holy Spirit, so that I may enjoy that joy, peace and everlasting life that can only come from You.

Don’t allow me to ever forget that there are consequences to everything that I do—for You are a just God.

Keep me mindful that for every bad thing I do, there are bad consequences, just as for every good thing I do, there are good consequences.

By the choices I make—the seeds that I plant by my actions—I decide the harvest I will reap.

Caution me with the knowledge that while there is forgiveness, mercy and grace when I repent of my bad choices, there are always consequences of that sin which still remain.

Help me live to please Your Holy Spirit, so that I may enjoy that joy, peace and everlasting life that can only come from You.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

In This Temple

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?  You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price.  So you must honor God with your body.

--1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)

Loving God,

Thank You for willingly paying the price for my sin, so that there would be room in my heart for Your Spirit to come and live in me.

Help me to remain conscious of Your ever constant presence in me, through the gift of Your Holy Spirit to me.

Help me to be sensitive to what Your Holy Spirit would say to my spirit, as I allow You to guide all of my thoughts, words and actions.

Help me to realize that because I gave up my rights to myself—when I accepted the price that was freely paid for my salvation—I am truly set free.

Help me keep my body as a temple which honors, respects, and shows forth the glory of that which lives on the inside me.

Thank You for willingly paying the price for my sin, so that there would be room in my heart for Your Spirit to come and live in me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Good Eye

“Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body.  When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!”

--Matthew 6:22-23 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Help me always look to You, so I might understand things from Your perspective, be filled with the light of Your will, and see clearly the way You want me to go.

Help me maintain my intimate, personal relationship with You, as I submit myself—body, soul and spirit—to You, and allow You to fill me with Your marvelous light.

Help me never to allow the darkness of my own self-serving desires, goals, or greed, cloud my vision of Your will for me.  Help my eyes remain fixed on You.

Save me from any traps of deep darkness that self-deception might bring when I walk my way—falsely believing my way is Yours, instead of making sure that Your way is mine.

Help me always look to You, so I might understand things from Your perspective, be filled with the light of Your will, and see clearly the way You want me to go.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.