Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ!
According to His great mercy,
He has caused us to be born again
to a living hope
through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead.
(1 Peter 1:3)
Alleluia! Through Jesus’ resurrection You have blessed me, gracious Father, with hope that lives and cannot fail despite all the troubles of earthly life. Help me live in that hope constantly, and by Your Spirit make me a source of Christian hope for others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
His heart was courageous
in the ways of the LORD.
(2 Chronicles 17:6a)
Give me such a heart, almighty God, a heart that is courageous in discipleship! Forgive my fears for Jesus’ sake and, by Your Spirit, build up my faith so that no temptation, impediment, or threat can hinder me from following Your Son, Who is the Way of eternal life. Amen.
In those days
John the Baptist came preaching
in the wilderness of Judea,
“Repent,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
(Matthew 3:1)
Your kingdom is present even now, O God, and of Your pure grace in Christ You have made me a citizen of it. Grant me such gratitude for this citizenship that I turn from all wickedness and strive for godliness, heeding Your call to repent and believe the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Amen
But now that you have been set free from sin
and have become slaves of God,
the fruit you get leads to sanctification
and its end, eternal life.
(Romans 6:22)
By Your blood You have set me free from sin and death, Lord Jesus, and have purchased me for God. Knowing with certainty that I will live eternally with You in Paradise, enable to me live faithfully for You on earth, producing the fruit of good works that serve my neighbors and point them to You. Amen
God is a righteous judge,
and a God Who feels indignation every day.
(Psalm 7:11)
You have already judged my sin, righteous God, and have poured out Your indignation on Christ Jesus in my place. On the cross He traded my guilt for His innocence. Since You now credit me with Jesus’ holiness, grant me the grace to look on others with mercy and extend pardoning love to them. Amen.
And when they saw it, they all grumbled,
“He has gone in to be
the guest of a man who is a sinner.”
(Luke 19:7)
Since I know that I, myself, in my sinfulness, deserve no favor from You, holy Father, forgive me for the arrogance that presumes to suggest that anyone else is unworthy of the good gifts You choose in perfect wisdom to bestow. Grant me, instead, joy in Your mission-hearted generosity. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
On that day
the LORD their God will save them,
as the flock of His people;
for like the jewels of a crown
they shall shine on His land.
For how great is His goodness,
and how great His beauty!
(Zechariah 9:1617a)
Spirit of God, so that the world may be ready for the day of Jesus’ return, keep me always active in discipleship that attracts others to His beauty and makes His goodness known in every land; through Christ, my Lord, Whose bloodied crown of thorns has become the glorious crown of life. Amen.
Comments are closed