~ Read Job 24-25 Text, Audio
Lord God,
Heal
my complaining spirit, and quiet my grumbling heart. Suppress the part
of me that struggles to be content with my life and help me to be
thankful for what you have given me; for I know you are not a cruel God.
You are not the cause of my struggles, so I should not be critical of
you.
Please
Lord, speak to me, and teach me what I need to know. Do not strike out
against me because of my disrespect, but hear my repentance and plea.
Show me my faults and give me the strength to change what needs to be
changed in my life. Set me free from everything that binds me to my old
self, so that I can be the new person, you call me to be.
Do
not hide from my presence, Lord. Do not stay far away. Though I know
you are at work in my life, because I never see you, sometimes I doubt
and wonder if you are really there.
I
know that I don’t need to see you to be seen by you, but sometimes it
might be nice if I could. At the very least, it would be encouraging to
my soul if I could get a quick glimpse of you. I think, maybe it would
be easier to cope with so much more if I could just see your face every
so often. I know you are always watching me, refining me and making me
pure, but it’s so hard to follow when I cannot see you.
Reveal
yourself to me in a fresh way, Lord God. Show me your how to follow you
by faith and not by sight; for I know that no one can oppose you. You
will do as you please to carry out your plans for my life. Just, the
thought of your majesty, power, and glory make me tremble in awe. So
please, do not turn your back on me or remove your light from my life,
because I need you Lord. I cannot survive without you.
Though
some reject your light, gracious God, because they prefer to hide in
the shadows of their sin, I will not rebel against you. I will not
refuse to obey or try to hide as if you cannot see me wherever I may be.
Instead, I will, but confess all my selfishness and sin, so that I can
receive your forgiveness and be clean in your sight.
I
will not murder others in my heart with my harsh words and criticisms. I
will not steal their dignity, or rob them of their self-worth by making
light of their failures, or minimizing their accomplishments. I will
not covet their success as if I am somehow more deserving, or envy their
achievements as if I have been robbed of my own. I will not take
advantage of those who are weak, lonely, sick, or hurting, just to
promote my agenda. I will not prefer the darkness of my sin over the
light of your presence like some often do. Instead, I will seek your
face and walk in your light, by the power of your Spirit living in me,
and the grace of your Son, Jesus Christ.
In his holy name I pray, Amen.
Where mercy is the rule, not the exception.
