“Morning Prayer”
A few weeks ago, I noted that the Apostle Paul emphasizes the indicative before the imperative in his epistles, he tells people who they are in Christ and all that is true of them before he tells them what they should be doing in response to it. In Ephesians 4:1 for example, he tells them that they should live a life worthy of the calling they have recieved - but he writes this after the previous three chapters, in which he has been telling them all the gosple truth about that calling on their lives.
This prayer is an attempt to start our day with more of the indicatives of the gospel running through our hearts. It could be helpful to remember at start of day, who I am in Christ before I become burdened down with all that I feel I am to do for Christ. It has been recorded and is available under our Audio section should you want to download it and listen to on the way to work in the morning.
“MORNING PRAYER”
Holy Father, I turn towards You now, at the beginning of this day, as surely as flowers turn to face the sun. Like David, I cry out at break of day, “In the morning oh Lord, you will hear my voice. In the morning, I will lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Oh my Lord, at the start of this day, I want the truth of who I am in Jesus Christ to capture my heart – before all the other anxious suitors of this world lay hold of it. I am Yours and You are mine. I belong to Jesus Christ who called me to Himself and bought me with His own blood. Once, I sat in darkness, a prisoner of sin, darkened in my understanding. I was dead in my sins- spiritually dead - and far from You, oh God. But thanks be to God for your indescribable gift! Thanks be to God for your amazing grace. Thanks be to God that you made me alive in Christ Jesus and raised me up from the dust of death. I am a forgiven man - let me walk in the freedom of forgiveness today. I have been reconciled to You, redeemed from my former, ignorant, foolish, fallen way of life. I’ve been brought into your family and given an inheritance that will never fade, spoil or pass away. I want to remember, as I move through this day, that you rescued me from the kingdom of darkness and transferred me into the kingdom of your beloved Son. And all of this is by grace: I have never earned Your favor - not for one minute! The truth about me is blacker than I can ever know just as your love for me surpasses my ability to ever know it completely. My whole life now is grace, a total and unconditional gift of your total and unconditional love.
Grasp my heart today with the knowledge that I am Your workmanship. I am a new creation in Christ Jesus – Your new creation. I died and was buried through baptism with Christ and have been raised to newness of life. I am Your workmanship. I do not need to make something of my life - that’s what You are doing. So make my life fruitful; make it loving; make it persevere in the face of opposition and failure. Make my life an offering, a prayer; a gift to this world.
Lord, keep me from foolishness today. Direct my feet in paths of wisdom. My heart is prone to wander, as You know, so be my Good Shepherd today and guide me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Protect me from all evil. And as surely as my sins have been completely washed away, so release me from the painful memory of them and deliver me from their ongoing power over my life. Keep my feet on the narrow path of life today..
Holy Father, pour out your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, on your sons and daughters today. This is the gift that You love to give to Your people. Give the Spirit today without measure! Fill me then, at start of day, with the Spirit - so that I may have power to live faithfully for my Savior in the midst of all the challenges and opportunities this day will bring. Apart from you I can do nothing. Send forth your Spirit so that Christ will dwell in my heart by faith today, and so that I may be rooted and grounded in love - Your love for me that brought Jesus to earth and compelled Him to the Cross. May that love fill my heart and direct my life this day. Write on the screensaver of my heart that you delight yourself in me and then give me faith to believe it!
Open the ears of my heart so that I can hear and recognize Your voice today in the midst of all the clatter and distractions of my life. I simply cannot live on bread alone. It isn’t enough for me now. I live by every word that comes from Your mouth. So like Samuel I say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” Speak the word that brings life to me – and through me brings life to others. Here I am. Take my life and use me today as You see fit, so that Your name is hallowed, your kingdom comes, and your will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen and amen.
