Father, thank You for being so merciful, patient, and long-suffering with Your children. For there are too many times that my lips are near You, yet my heart is far from You. Time spent thinking about You and Your Word and practicing Your presence is compartmentalized to certain times and spaces of the day. I am often so earthly minded that I am no Kingdom good. I, along with everyone else, desperately need Jesus! Bring me to the place where I truly realize that You are my and our only hope. I talk and pray for You to do big things through my life and in this world then live for outcomes that I am able to explain and manage.
Jesus, I so often live by how I feel, what makes sense to my mind, what I see with my eyes, and what I think that I can do. Instead of living by faith in You the only wise God our Savior, the One for whom nothing is too hard or impossible. If it is left up to me, then I'll choose to stay in the comfort of the nest and do only what I want, or think is possible. Tear up the nest and push me off the cliff where I am forced to trust You and be carried on Your wings. Give me the grace to discern what You are saying and doing and an obedient heart to do it even when it does not make sense to my natural mind.
Jesus, why does it seem to be that as the years pass by that I find myself feeling further away from you and less useful to Your Kingdom purposes? What has happened that has left me at times so apathetic, cynical, indifferent, slothful, and unbelieving when it come to You and Your bride the Church? There was a day, not that long ago, when I would have charged the gates of hell with a squirt gun because of my love for You. Now I just want to relax and enjoy life by the side of the pool with my feet in the water. If I am honest, You do not have the preeminence, priority, and first place only in my life. Show me the heights that I have fallen from, lead me to repent of my sin and renounce my idols, and to return to You my first love with my whole heart.
Jesus, there was a day that I loved hanging out with Your followers for hours on end. Now I would prefer to be alone singing Vickie Winans song 'Long as I Got King Jesus (Don't Need Nobody Else)'. Bring me back to the place where I love the saints and being together with them in Your glorious presence. Not long ago I was constantly thinking about and wanting You to use me to engage people with the good news of who You are and what You've done. Now I can be around thousands of people and not give a thought to the eternal state of their souls. I feel like salt that has lost its saltiness. So, I am asking You to revive me again for there is nothing too hard or impossible for You.
Jesus, I feel like the disciples out to sea, stuck in the middle, and thinking that I am going to die without reaching the other side (fulfilling all that You've called me to do). Come to me Lord walking on the water as I cry out 'Savior do not pass me by.' Without Your divine intervention in my life then I am stuck right here. I confess that I need You and I cannot make it to the other side without You. Bring me to the place where I stop trying to do it without You. For it is utterly foolish and futile for me to continue to strain at the oars when You are the One who causes the winds to cease, the sea to be still, and will lead me to the other side. Thank You for coming to my rescue. Amen!!!