Heavenly Father, I praise You for the mercy, grace, and love You have bestowed upon me. I praise You for being a God who sees all of me and knows me even better than I know myself. I praise You for being a God who not only sees the bigger picture but can also zoom in on the intricate details that make me who I am. Help me today to take command of my day so I can shake the evil from it.
Your word says I should be an imitator of You as a beloved child. I am to walk in love as Christ loves me [us], and gave Himself for me [us] as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. I am to walk as a child of light—for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth—proving what is pleasing to the Lord. I am to refrain from being unwise, but to understand Your will. I am to avoid being drunk, for that is reckless and irresponsible living. I am to be filled with Your Spirit. I am to speak to others with a melody in my heart which belongs to God and is for God. [Ephesians 5:1&2,8&9, 17-19] This is how I should live, but am I willing to be the light, walk as and in the light, and walk with the love of Christ? Do I forgive myself enough to allow God’s forgiveness to fully change who I am? Do I love God enough to love who I am, the way I am? I am humble enough to know that I am a man who makes many mistakes and often rushes to decisions and does not listen to the Holy Spirit talk or counsel me. I am emotional, stubborn, and bull-headed at times. Can I learn to love as Christ? Help me, Holy Spirit, to learn to love who I am in You, so that I can love others through You. Help me to see the person You created with a purpose so that I don’t devalue Your creation. Guide my thoughts so I can learn to be a light to the world around me. Guard my tongue so that I let the well springs of life flow from my mouth and not bitterness, pride, anger, or hate. Help me to stand strong in the wisdom of Your word and how You made me, but also let me learn meekness to demonstrate Your mercy, grace, and love to others. Help me to be for this relationship with all that I am so that I am for “us” in the truest sense of my very being.
Put a hedge of protection around my family and protect us from evil and harm. Help me to encourage those I can encourage. Let me be able to forgive as You have forgiven me. Let my light and love shine so that my family, friends, community, and others can learn of and enjoy Your salvation so that Your kingdom continues to grow. In Jesus’ name, Amen.