A Space Within My Heart For You

Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

—2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NLT)

Lord of Peace,

How I need Your perfect peace! How I need You here with me!

I know that it is not Your will for me to wear myself out—mentally, emotionally and physically—by spending my days fretting over how things are going to work out in my life.

And I know the peace that I so desperately need will never come from my trying to “figure it all out” on my own—as if I could do anything apart from Your mercy, grace and strength.

In fact, my trying to “figure it all out” is the very thing that keeps me from Your peace—that peace that is far beyond my intellect, way beyond my understanding!

So help me to quiet my mind, so I can be still in Your presence, as I make a space within my heart for You to come and fill—by allowing Your Spirit to take over my thoughts and saturate my mind and spirit with the Light of the Truth of Your Word.

I know it is Your desire that I walk in Your peace at all times—in every situation and circumstance.

So, help me to submit my will to Yours and receive the gift of peace that You have waiting for me—a peace that can only be found when I have made room for You to be with me—so that I can abide in the peace of Your Presence, always.

How I need Your perfect peace! How I need You here with me!

In Your Precious and Glorious Name, Lord Jesus—my Prince of Peace!

Purpose That Prevails

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.

—Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

Sovereign LORD,

Help me always to lift up my plans before You—with my palms wide open—as I submit my will to Your will and my life to Your perfect purpose.

You know every plan of my heart—before it is ever formed in my thoughts.

You know when I make my plans—in perfect concert with Your will for me.

You know when I make my plans—without first consulting You at all.

You know when I make my plans—after much prayer and meditation on Your Word.

You know when I make my plans—despite what I have heard from You, in great foolishness and selfishness.

Yet despite all my plans, it is always Your purpose that prevails.

So mold my plans to accomplish Your purposes—and help me to have faith to believe that You will do great things in my life, in order to glorify Yourself in me.

And help me to remember that Your plans are always crafted with my best interest at heart—a reflection of Your perfect and unfailing love for me.

Help me always to lift up my plans before You—with my palms wide open—as I submit my will to Your will and my life to Your perfect purpose.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

A New Thing

Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert.

—Isaiah 43:19 (NKJV)

Heavenly Father,

Help me not to be so entangled by my past, that I miss the joy of looking for the new ways that You are taking me, today—and for all the days of my life to come.

Help me to “Behold”—to eagerly stop, and look, and see, knowing that Your hand is at work in me, through me and all around me—so that my soul would glorify You!

Help me to be open to receive all that this ever-changing gift of life You have given me has to offer—as You unfold before me the newness of the perfect path that You have for me to walk.

Help me not to overvalue anything from my past that You have chosen to remove from me—so that I don’t  hamper my ability to see and know that You will always take me to higher and deeper places with You, if I will surrender my will to Yours, and willingly follow where You lead.

Help me to trust that You are able—and You certainly will—make a road for me in the wilderness and cause life-giving rivers to flow in this desert before me now and forevermore.

Help me not to be so entangled by my past, that I miss the joy of looking for the new ways that You are taking me, today—and in all the days of my life to come.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.