Mercy Road Daily Prayer & Bible Reading ~ Monday, April 23, 2012

~ Read Numbers 1-2

Give
me a heart for your people, Lord God. Give me mercy, compassion, and love. Give me a desire for their comfort. Help me to work for their well-being and good. Help me to serve them in whatever ways that I can. Give me the wisdom to know what they need. Help me forgive them when they're hurtful and unkind. Help me to see your image in them.

Lord God, your people are so many, and their needs are so great; I know that I cannot meet them. I cannot heal them, restore their broken relationships, or reconcile them to you. I cannot give them faith or remove their guilt, but I can show them your mercy and grace. I can speak your truth with love. I can demonstrate compassion, justice, and forgiveness. I can show them my faith by the things that I do, and explain how you've blessed my whole life. Though I can't give them, faith or make them believe, I can do everything within my power to show them you.

Give me a heart for your people, Lord God. Help me to take down the walls and hurdles I construct, that make it difficult for others to you see at work in my life. Remove all the brokenness of my selfishness and sin. Help me to remember that I am saved by your grace, and not by the things that I do, or even the theology I believe. Help me to do speak your truth in love, and not out of a desire to be right. Help me to represent you well. Most importantly, Lord God, give me a humble heart, to remember that I am no different than anyone else.

I too, can be selfish in the decisions that I make. I know I am fickle and weak. I'm certain I am arrogant, self-righteousness, condescending, and proud. I know I have a tendency to believe I am always in the right. I know I can be shallow, superficial, and unkind. I know I do things for all the wrong reasons. I know I'm a sinner in need of your grace, and that the same Spirit working in my heart, works in the hearts of all your people to renew their image in you.

So, give me a heart for your people, Lord God, and take me out of the way. Help me to love them as much as myself, and to see your great love in everything I do.
In Jesus' name, Amen.