Father, you are greater than anyone or anything in all the universe. For you created all that is, all that was, and all that is to come. There is no one like you. From everlasting to everlasting, you are God. You are pure love. Unadulterated by sin or anything evil. You love completely and without reservation. You give without condition. When we were sinners, you went first, giving your only begotten son whom you loved, Jesus, sacrificing his life for our sin. You did not wait to see if we would accept this gift, you gave it first, hoping, trusting that some would believe and be redeemed by your gift. This cost you dearly, for in essence, you gave yourself to be sacrificed for our sin. Yet you were undeterred by the risk of rejection. To you, we were worth the risk. And many have rejected you and you must punish them for their sin, something that your righteousness and holiness demand. O how wonderful is this salvation that you have wrought! Even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us! Now, because of your decision to go first and give yourself to us, we belong to you and you love us dearly because of your great love for Jesus. You raised him to life on the third day so that we who believe, along with him be raised to new life. And so, we were. And so we are now your children, bought by the precious blood of Jesus. Now we belong to you and are dearly loved by you. You lavish your love on us daily, undeterred by the dead fleshly body in which we have this new life, this new creation. For one day you will change these mortal bodies into incorruptible immortal bodies, full of your glory. Even now your Spirit lives inside of us, encouraging us, comforting us, loving us, and telling us that one day we will be free from these mortal constraints. Fill me to overflowing with your Spirit today, Father. I want to be so full of your Spirit that I can encourage those who are yours and tell the good news to those who are not yet yours. May my life be a blessing to all whom it touches this day. Make me like Jesus, so that when others are with me, they see Jesus, only Jesus. For those who do not yet believe, may my life be such a powerful example of your love that they too want to belong to you. May many believe through what they see in me and by hearing the good news that they too can be redeemed and become children of yours. This is my prayer. Amen.
