Holy God:
We thank you for the love of Jesus Christ. We praise you today because we have found life in him. He has made us new people. He has made us family with each other . He has given hope to our world. In sending Jesus to the cross, you put to death death itself, and all that is lifeless and broken. In raising him to new life, you opened up the beginning of all things being made new, everything in heaven and on earth being restored.
We openly admit to you, Lord, that living in this world is often difficult. We have come today believing in our heads that what Christ has done is true and real. And yet, all that we face causes us to struggle to have a mind and heart to live as people who trust what Christ’s work has done. We believe that he has conquered sin and death, and yet we are weighed down by the effects of sin and death. We struggle to live as free people. We struggle to overcome despair. We struggle to overcome discouragement. We forget who we are.
And so, our living is often halfhearted. We live with one foot in heaven and one foot in the ways of the world. We try to live Christ’s way, but we are so used to the old way that we find ourselves constantly compromising, equivocating.
Today, we ask that you would give us new life. Give us fresh vision. Overwhelm us with your spirit. Renew us. Restore us.
We give our lives entirely to you. Have us as your own. Every choice, every dime, every moment, every relationship. body, mind, soul, spirit. The good, the bad the ugly. Our businesses, our children, our marriages. Our thoughts, our dreams. Our hurts and sorrows. Our gifts and our shame. Have us entirely. Make us entirely a people whose heart and life is entirely dedicated, entirely consumed, entirely shaped by Jesus.
Amen.
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