pressing on

 Tuesday, September 22, 2026 (4:19 a.m.)

Most Dear and Awesome God,

Thank You for the honor and privilege of sitting with You. Of truly entering Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart; and going into Your courts with praise (Psalm 100:4).

Mm, yes Father. Thank You for the ways You work in, with, by, through and for us. Changing us. Often without our even noticing.

Yes! You change us from the inside out.

Romans 12:2

Ezekiel 36:26

2 Corinthians 3:18; 5:17

♪Where Would I Be if I didn’t have Jesus

Pulling me out of that grave?

Where would I be if I didn’t have mercy

Pulling me away from my ways?

… Thank God, thank God, thank God

I’ll never know♪

Oh yes, Blessed Father! Thank You that You save us from ourselves. Repeatedly.

Let’s take Saturday for instance. I made a slip of the tongue. Rushing to say one thing, it came out differently than I’d planned. Hoping it would go by unnoticed, the listener immediately pointed it out.

Father, I didn’t realize until yesterday that my immediate, negative and intentionally hurtful response was fueled by my own embarrassment. Thank You for stopping me right in the midst of my mentally replaying the event.

Right there in the backyard, You very quickly reminded me that I am not responsible for anyone else’s words, motives or actions. I must answer to You for my own.

I confess to You Dearest LORD, my sole motive in that moment was to hurt. Embarrass. Shame. Pay back. Like for like. Absolutely not my best look!

Thank You for Your very fine art of forgiveness. And all the benefits that stem from its practice.

It is only You at work that enables me to choose to change. To truly take to heart the apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Philippian believers.

“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:12-14).

Yes, Father. Keep me pressing on toward You. I love, need, trust and want to serve You well. Continue doing all You must in changing me. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(424 words ~5:55 a.m.)