Sue O’Donnell. 04.02.21
“I thirst for God, the living God.” (Psalm 42 v 2 NLT)
All thanks and praise ever be,
My thirst is satisfied completely.
Out of nothing I am offered love and mercy
And I in no way merit this
A blessed share in the company
Of the highly exalted Lord Jesus, the Messiah,
To be not the servant of this King,
Not even just another citizen belonging to Him,
But a sibling, - an amazing honour.
When I thirst for God, my need is well satisfied
As I meet with the Word of God, Christ Jesus.
I learn of His love and mercy experientially.
I am taught to call on His very own Spirit,
He who is ever busy deepening our friendship.
I have discovered a means of worship.
What more could I want or ask?
“Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37 v 41 NLT)
Time and again this truth has held firm for me,
Meaning my trust and dependency have developed.
Prayer has become as vital as food and water daily.
I find shelter within the love of a Trinity,
Coming to the One who is clearly God’s Son,
Plus the Holy Spirit, the Helper, the Paraclete.
I realise that one day I will meet God face to face,
When the time is right and I am made ready.
Until then, I seek to serve as my practical worship,
Serving in the name of Christ Jesus, His friendship,
I only have to ask of the Spirit to help with this.
He, like Jesus, is infinitely powerful and steadfast in love.
Together the Saviour and Sanctifier shape my life,
Alert my conscience, guard my thoughts, motivate my efforts.
The living Lord, God’s active Word is my way forwards,
My life’s hope, ambition to be like Him, my purpose.
May I love as He loves, feeling the power of the Spirit.
“...the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given....” (Colossians 1 v 8 NLT)
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with my spirit.” (based on Philippians 4 v 23 NLT)
Come Holy Spirit, please help me to pray. Form the words I want to say in recognition of who Christ Jesus is and all He accomplishes for us. Please keep showing me.
I know the Lord Jesus is the image and likeness of our Father, full of love and mercy. We are then, the recipients of a blessed salvation freely given.
I was blind to all of this until the light of recognition dawned upon me. Thank You for introducing me to my Saviour, showing Christ Jesus to be the living and abiding Word of God.
You help me overcome self-will, showing me that reverence depends upon obedience and that obedience arises out of humility.
Please open my mind and heart continuously. I do not want to waste any opportunity of getting to know the Lord Jesus more fully, so I can better serve Him.
I am grateful, very grateful for any progress I have made. But I ask You to still deepen, strengthen and embolden my faith to result in me not failing to reach Jesus’ highest standards.
Love His and Your method and means, please make me loving, able to be sharing and always caring, keen to combat evil.
I delight in the Lord Jesus shepherding me, for there is my full safety and I feel a peace the world cannot give, as He is my daily worship.
I know the Lord Jesus is the truth to stand upon. Please make me firm in this, not diverted by any of satan’s diversionary tactics and meddling. I belong to the One with authority over everything.
Please equip me to live honourably, not in any self-seeking way, but always looking to the needs and wants of others, helping to satisfy this.
I need to be wise about this, so I am reliant upon the wisdom the Lord Jesus shares with us as You guide, guard, inspect our motives and intent.
May I not be slow to submit to correction, realising pruning is a vital part of growth in faith and its practical outcome. Keep me praying!
Sometimes my thoughts or decisions are going in one direction, and I feel You tugging me to change course. May I be enabled to discern and act promptly.
Whilst satisfying my thirst for the Lord God, please keep me thirsting so I seek and find my Father in the loving, active life of the risen Lord we call ‘Jesus’, because He comes to save us.
Saved from sin, damnation and final full separation, we have every reason to rejoice in the life we have been given. No longer are we outcasts, but recipients of every grace and favour.
All such benefits were won for us by the life and death of the Lord Jesus, showing us in His resurrection that love is stronger than sin and death.
You have suffered my heart and awakened my mind to this discovery, making me the child of the family of the Trinity. I am deeply indebted and I thank You.
To have been made a first heir of the Kingdom of heaven through its highest, holiest Son, is full life to me now and the hope of an eternal homeland eventually.
O that I may love as You teach us to love, as my Saviour Brother shows me how to live reflecting His image, forming a likeness to Him.
May I live worthily, so as to accomplish this by being fully alert and responsive to Your calling, Your correction, Your inspiration and Your command, Holy Spirit, Lord.
Let me please, not only see the beauty of all that is honourable and holy, but do my very best to be a part of this, praying in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Thank You for reminding me of Jesus’ teaching: “ ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you...Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full’.” (John 16 v 23, 24)
I ask then to live to delight and honour our Father by means of making the Lord Jesus my Saviour and Redeemer and ever my highest worship.
I thank You for being the powerfully active and protective part of my faith’s development and direction. May I never fail You. Amen.
Images by Artist Christine Garwood
http://www.christinegarwoodartist.co.uk/
Season
Key Themes
HOLY SPIRIT
