courage

Friday, April 30, 2010 (5:37 a.m.)

Blessed Lord,

I am looking to You for courage. Oh wow! Would You look at that? Smiling. Eager. Agog-ish. Yea! Thank You Lord!

Thank You for a waking dream just now that reminded me of the importance of coming to You with every single aspect of my life. Sitting here tapping out the beginning of this prayer to You, asking You for courage, knowing that the biggest thing I need Your courage for is the changes that are taking place in and around me.

The smile came immediately. And now look. Here are chills and tears to complete this picture. Lord, I love how I can be this ‘not okay’ and ‘better than ever’ all at the same time. That’s YOU Lord! You. Working in me.

Thank You Lord. Thank You that as soon as I considered the words courage and change, the Serenity Prayer came to mind. Reinhold Niebuhr nailed it for so many when he first offered, then penned his prayer.

Originally he asked that You would “give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.” Oh thank You God!

Thank You that there have long been people (Your Son being one of them) who will lead us in praying for our needs. Matthew (6:9-13) recorded His words thusly, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Your is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

Lord, I confess. I sit here with You in the morning. Many times I get excited, thinking that I will be taking You and Your wisdom with me throughout the day. Too often, at the first signs of any type of discontent, I seem to bail from my allegiance with You and slip right on back to old patterns.

Dearest Lord, I don’t want to continue doing life on my terms, with my habits and reactions to circumstances. Change me Lord. Keep me ever ready to ask You for the courage to make those changes as You desire.

An extended version to Reinhold Niebuhr’s prayer says this, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen.”

Oh yes Dearest Lord! Yes that I would enjoy. You! Be with me this entire day I pray. Giving me courage every single time I start to falter. There is much to do and even more to be afraid of if I try (insist) doing it all on my own. I’m Yours Dear Lord. Do with me as You will. I love You. Thank You. Amen.

(579 words ~ 6:37 a.m.)