This is What He Requires of You

No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good,
    and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
    and to walk humbly with your God.

—Micah 6:8 (NLT)

Gracious and Loving LORD,

Thank You for giving me Your Word—for through Your Word I can learn what is good and what You require of me.

Help me to do what is right.  Reveal to me the Truth of Your Word and help me to fully believe it—knowing it flows from Your unfailing love for us all.  Help me obediently apply that Truth to all my thoughts, words, and actions, as I choose Your ways over my own.

Help me to love mercy.  Out of my overwhelming gratefulness to You for my own personal experience of Your continual mercy towards me—and an understanding that it is that same merciful love You offer to every one of us—let me be a loving vehicle of Your mercy to everyone around me.

Help me to walk humbly with You.  Don't allow me to disobediently lag behind You, or arrogantly run ahead of You, but let me walk submissively with You, intent on doing Your will.

Thank You for giving me Your Word—for through Your Word I can learn what is good and what You require of me.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

To Grow into a Full Experience of Salvation

So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.  Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation.  Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

—1 Peter 2:1-3 (NLT)

Father God,

Make me like a hungry newborn baby who—having tasted that which is good—cries for more nourishment!  Let me always crave the life-giving, spiritual milk I find in Your Word, so I can grow into a full experience of the sweet salvation that You have provided for us all, in Christ.

Save me from any trace of wickedness and every desire there may be within me to cause pain, injury, or distress to others—that I might learn to be kind.

Save me from any tendency to try to deceive others—so that my true intentions will always be understood and my actions will always reflect my words.

Save me from each temptation that comes to entice me to pretend to be someone who I am not.  And help me to be—vulnerably and sincerely—just who I am, just who You created me to be.

Save me from any envy for, or resentment toward, the blessings I see in the lives of others—so I might be content and secure in Your generous blessing upon my own life.

Save me from ever using my words to slander another person's reputation, or to hurt or offend others—so that every word I speak would be kind, and honor You.

Make me like a hungry newborn baby who—having tasted that which is good—cries for more nourishment!  Let me always crave the life-giving, spiritual milk I find in Your Word, so I can grow into a full experience of the sweet salvation that You have provided for us all, in Christ.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.