excellence

Saturday, January 30, 2010 (6:25 a.m.)

Incredibly Awesome God,

Thank You! Ten minutes ago my plan was to come before You complaining about the cranky irritable feelings I keep having. One step into the hallway and that all changed. Thank You Lord for the early breathtaking view of the moon that is to be completely full twelve hours from now. An awe-inspired gasp literally left my lips without thought. Thank You Lord!

I confess to having thought that that was all it was going to take to rid me of this overwhelming feeling of irritation that I keep experiencing. Now I realize that it is not. Lord, how I ask that You would protect me from myself. I keep wanting more of what I don’t have. More peace. More power. More protection. More of You.

Truly Lord, I desire excellence! I want to love and be loved well. We have worked all these years in our own power and strength. Shift my focus back to You where it belongs. You are the true source of all our needs.

It is in You that I long to find my rest. It is only in You that I place my faith, my hope, my trust. Teach me Lord. In this year of learning to love as You would have me love, show me how to know You better.

Peter started his second letter by praying Your blessing of special favor and wonderful peace to those who come to know You, Jesus, our God and Lord, better and better. Verse three tells us, “As we know Jesus better, His divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. He has called us to receive His own glory and goodness!” Yes please!

“And by that same mighty power, He has given us all of His rich and wonderful promises. He has promised that you will escape the decadence all around you caused by evil desires and that you will share in His divine nature.” (2 Peter 1:4)

Lord, I long to live and breathe as though I absolutely trust and believe that! I keep second-guessing. Rehearsing. Pretending.

“So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better (v 5). Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness (6). Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone (7). The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (8).”

Mm. How I pray, asking that You would do this in and for me Lord. Guide and direct my heart, my soul, my thoughts and my steps this day. I long to be Yours. ‘Fill me with Your love and divine power, so that I will make every effort to apply the benefit of these promises to my life, ultimately knowing You better via a faith producing life of moral excellence.’

This is far too great an order for me to even begin on my own Dearest Lord. Please provide my every need and right attitude. I love You Lord. Help me know and love You better. Thank You. Amen.

(559 words ~ 7:36 a.m.)