Prayer of Confession

In Sunday's sermon about the Pharisee and the tax collector, Jesus made it clear that comparing ourselves to others is simply wrong - but we all do it. We oftentimes find our worth from downgrading others in order to elevate ourselves. We want and expect others to do and think the way we do because "we've got it all figured out" or "our way is best" - but the more we mediate on Scripture, the more we see ourselves in light of God's revealed Word. About the only thing that I have figured out is that God is full of mercy and grace and that His steadfast love endures forever. The Bible says He loved us while we were "still sinners". I don't know about you, but I still sin. I still fall short of God's standard. I miss the mark - and I especially miss it when I set myself up as a judge over other people's actions.

So here is the prayer that keeps me grounded so I don't get too high. “Lord Jesus have mercy on me, a sinner”. This really should help us keep ourselves in perspective to others and to God.

I was asked to share this again from the conclusion of Sunday's message. Feel free to comment on this blog by adding your own.

- "For times I’ve compared myself to others, Lord Jesus, have mercy on me"
- "For times I’ve thought too highly of myself, Lord Jesus, have mercy on me"
- "For the times I’ve reacted in anger toward someone Lord Jesus, have mercy on me"
- "For the bitterness I harbor(ed) toward church members or family members, Lord Jesus, have mercy on me"
- "For elevating myself above others, Lord Jesus, have mercy on me"
- "For being afraid of what others might think, Lord Jesus, have mercy on me"
- "For trying to get even with someone and teach them a lesson, Lord Jesus, have mercy on me"
- "For insisting on my own way, Lord Jesus, have mercy on me"

Source of Security, Hope, and Encouragement

Psalm 139 has to be one of the most intimate scriptures in the whole Bible. I love how it shows the closeness of God to human beings. I was reminded this morning how much God loves me and wants me to allow Him to love me. It's hard for me to just "rest in God's love" because it sounds too girly or syrupy...It's not very manly-sounding, but that is just my pride and false self talking.

This scripture says that God knows EVERYTHING about me and loves me anyway! Who else would love us like that (if they knew everything about us)? That is something I really cannot grasp (and apparently neither could the psalmist) - but I want to because that knowledge is a great source of security, hope, and encouragement. Here is a little excerpt of Psalm 139:

Psalm 139:1-7 (NLT)
¹ O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
² You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought when far away.
³ You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.
⁴ You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
⁵ You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to know!
⁷ I can never escape from your spirit! I can never get away from your presence!

You can finish this on your own - with your Bible in hand and allow God to tell you personally how much He loves you, too!

Being With God in Silence

Yesterday I spent my spiritual retreat day in silence at St. Benedict Center in Schuyler. Silence is an amazing thing - mostly scary and uncomfortable, but I am becoming more and more aware of how God speaks in silence (you know, that still, small voice?) Well, I must confess that I did not hear a direct word from the Lord even though I tried. Throughout the day, I would take periods of time (10 minutes up to 50 minutes) and just sit in silence, hoping God would speak to me.

But silence is not to manipulate God in anyway. It is simply being open to anything God might have for us. It makes us vulnerable to Him. It says, "Here I am Lord. Your servant is listening". Now, even though I didn't "hear" God, I believe in faith that He is doing a work in me below the surface that I can't see yet. Was my time wasted then? Absolutely not! It was time well spent with my Maker and Creator - an opportunity to "fast" from my busyness and just "be" with God.

Here is a quote from Mother Teresa that was passed on to me today...

"The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life. Silence gives us a new outlook on everything. We need silence in order to touch souls. The essential thing is not what we say, but what God says to us and through us. Jesus is always waiting for us in silence." - Mother Teresa

Follow-Up To Sunday's Message

I want to pass along a prayer called “Your Most Basic Act of Worship” written by Ruth Meyers in her book called 31 Days of Praise. This prayer comes from the text in Romans 12:1 about offering ourselves to God as a spiritual act of worship. I have begun using this as a way of offering myself to God as a "living sacrifice" each day.

Lord, I’m Yours. Whatever the cost may be, may Your will be done in my life. I realize I’m not here on earth to do my own thing, or to seek my own fulfillment or my own glory. I’m not here to indulge my desires, to increase my possessions, to impress people, to be popular, to prove I’m somebody important, or to promote myself. I’m not here even to be relevant or successful by human standards. I’m here to please You.

I offer myself to You, for You are worthy. All that I am or hope to be, I owe to You. I’m Yours by creation, and every day I receive from You life and breath and all things. And I’m Yours because You bought me, and the price You paid was the precious blood of Christ. You alone, the Triune God, are worthy to be my Lord and Master. I yield to You, my gracious and glorious heavenly Father; to the Lord Jesus who loved me and gave Himself for me; to the Holy Spirit and His gracious influence and empowering.

All that I am and all that I have I give to You. I give You any rebellion in me, which resists doing Your will. I give You my pride and self-dependence, which tell me I can do Your will in my own power if I try hard enough. I give You my fears, which tell me I’ll never be able to do Your will in some areas of my life. I consent to let You energize me…to create within me, moment by moment, both the desire and the power to do Your will.

I give You my body and each of its members…my entire inner being: my mind, my emotional life, my will…my loved ones…my marriage or my hopes for marriage…my abilities and gifts…my strengths and weaknesses…my health…my status (high or low)…my possessions…my past, my present and my future…when and how I’ll go Home.

I’m here to love You, to obey You, to glorify You. O my Beloved, may I be a joy to You!