Love and Commitment

 

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.

—Deuteronomy 6:5-6 (NLT)

  

O LORD my God,

Help me to learn to live in that place where the love I have for You flows freely out of me—in wholehearted obedience to everything You have commanded me—that place where I truly love You with everything that I am.

Your Word shows me that it isn’t enough just to say I love You and then go on my way—pouring my heart into my own pursuits and disregarding Your will, Your plans, and Your purposes for my life. 

Your Word cries out for me to have a love relationship with You as it commands me to love You completely—with all that is within me—so that there is not anyone or anything that can take Your rightful place in my heart.

I want my love for You to burst from my spirit and flood my mind, will and emotions—so completely saturating me that, with every ounce of strength in me, I prove my love for You in my every thought, word and action.

Help me commit to love You that way, so that I can fulfill all of Your commands and instructions—and experience the joy of living in Your peace, under Your protection, because of Your provision for my every need.

Help me to learn to live in that place where the love I have for You flows freely out of me—in wholehearted obedience to everything You have commanded me—that place where I truly love You with everything that I am.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Open My Eyes to See

 

Open my eyes to see
    the wonderful truths in your instructions.
I am only a foreigner in the land.
    Don’t hide your commands from me!

—Psalm 119:18-19 (NLT)

 Loving LORD,

Do not hide Your commands from me, but rather open my eyes and let me see and understand the wonderful truths in your instructions—so that I may find my way through this foreign land, down the path that leads me safely home to You.

Do not ever let me forget that Your Word contains every instruction that I need to navigate this evil world through which I now pass—that Your Word shows me how to live protected by Your peace, filled with Your joy, and strengthened by Your presence in me—as You make provision for every need, situation or circumstance that I will ever face.

So, help me faithfully search Your Word and be filled with wonder at the truths for life that You have waiting there for me.  Then help me to apply each truth to my life—that I might better honor You with my life and bring glory to Your Holy Name.

Command me in the way that I should go!  Never withhold Your instructions from me and grant that I would willingly submit to Your Word and Your Spirit—for You are the only One who knows the good plans You have for me.

Do not hide Your commands from me, but rather open my eyes and let me see and understand the wonderful truths in your instructions—so that I may find my way through this foreign land, down the path that leads me safely home to You.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Motives and Intents of My Heart

 

All the ways of a man are clean and innocent in his own eyes [and he may see nothing wrong with his actions],
But the LORD weighs and examines the motives and intents [of the heart and knows the truth].

—Proverbs 16:2 (AMP)

All-Knowing LORD,

You alone know the truth about the motives and intents of my heart—so I ask You to show me my heart.  And then help me to surrender all of my ways to You—so that You can make my heart Your home.

Don’t allow me to deceive myself into believing that all my ways are clean and innocent—but help me to find the truth behind the reasons for what I do, so that I can more perfectly submit my thoughts, words, plans and actions to Your will for me.

Help me to live every moment of my life in willing obedience to the instruction of Your Word and according to the promptings of Your Holy Spirit—so that I can live an emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually healthy life of Truth.

Help me never to try to hide my impurity from You, but openly come before You to confess and repent of my sin and ask You to change me by Your mercy, forgiveness and grace—fully aware that You already know every imperfection in me, but love me anyway.

You alone know the truth about the motives and intents of my heart—so I ask You to show me my heart.  And then help me to surrender all of my ways to You—so that You can make my heart Your home.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.