Overwhelmed By Your Love And Affection For Me

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
    the moon and the stars you set in place—
what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
    human beings that you should care for them?

—Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT)

Creator God,

As I gaze upon the night sky, as I try to take it all in, I fall so short of even being able to begin to comprehend the vastness of all that You have made.  And when I am reminded that Your creation is a mere reflection of all Your power and glory, I am overwhelmed to think that You would set Your unfailing love and affection on one like me!

I am amazed at the intricate details with which You designed, created, set in place and in perfectly synchronized motion, the moon and each of the stars in the multitude of galaxies that You spread across the vastness of an endless space.

I am even more amazed that You created them all and put them on display for us—to demonstrate Your power and greatness and majesty to all of mankind—in order to reveal who You are and to draw us into relationship with You.

I am most amazed that You would make mankind the reason for, and focus of, everything that You have created—that You not only would think about us, but would want us, and truly care for us—making us the objects of Your amazing and immeasurable love.

As I gaze upon the night sky, as I try to take it all in, I fall so short of even being able to begin to comprehend the vastness of all that You have made.  And when I am reminded that Your creation is a mere reflection of all Your power and glory, I am overwhelmed to think that You would set Your unfailing love and affection on one like me!

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Living At Peace

Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone.  If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

—Romans 12:17-18 (AMP)        

Prince of Peace,

Let Your peace remain in me, by helping me to be a person who resists the impulse of my flesh to repay evil with evil and chooses the better way—the way that is right and gracious and proper—so that my actions don’t diminish the possibility of me living at peace with everyone.

Help me to remember that any evil that I do to others, in response to evil they have done to me, will only breed more evil—and that if I choose this destructive course, evil will always have me in its ever-tightening grip.

Let me instead enjoy the freedom that comes from being one who walks uprightly before others—being careful to love others in the same way You have loved me—so that I might represent You well and sow seeds of peace wherever I go.

And while I know that it will not always be possible for me to live at peace with everyone, remind me that I must always do my part to be a peacemaker—by speaking only the truth, granting an abundance of grace to all, and letting love be my sole motive for everything I say and do. 

Let Your peace remain in me by helping me to be a person who resists the impulse of my flesh to repay evil with evil and chooses the better way—the way that is right and gracious and proper—so that my actions don’t diminish the possibility of me living at peace with everyone.

For Your glory, Jesus, Amen.

So I Never Have To Be Ashamed

After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?”  But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.  He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

—Mark 9:33-35 (NLT)

Heavenly Father,

Let everything that I say and do, the deepest thoughts of my mind, and every hidden motive of my heart, always be pleasing to You—so that I never have to be ashamed when I am asked to account for them.

Help me to guard against being caught up in chasing after any man-made ideas of what success or achievement might be—only to find that my own self-promotion has kept me from Your higher and better plans and purposes for my life.

Help me to watch that I don’t allow my own deep-rooted insecurities or foolish pride to cause me to put too much stock in the power of a position, or the amount of prestige it might happen to carry—but humbly remember that I am nothing without You.

Help me to fully understand that all of my energy, time and talents should be directed to knowing Christ for myself and making Him known to others—by following His example of leadership and reflecting His love—as I become a servant of all.

Let everything that I say and do, the deepest thoughts of my mind, and every hidden motive of my heart, always be pleasing to You—so that I never have to be ashamed when I am asked to account for them.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.