Full of Thanksgiving!

Lord Jesus,

Thank you that your love and care for me - and for each of my loved ones - is constant, unconditional and everlasting.

What comfort and solace there is for me to know that even if I, or my loved ones who have accepted you as their Personal Lord and Saviour, and who belong to you -whether or not they still acknowledge that fact today- were to lose sight of you and of your love for us, you would still be here loving us and caring for us, working out your plan for our lives according to your perfect will and design.

Thank you that you lovingly take care of us in ALL circumstances.
Thank you that you are sovereign and that, being God Most High, you are firmly in charge - you are seated on your throne in Heaven; you rule from on high. Nothing escapes your eye.

Protect us and enable us to continue to live in fruitful labor for you, only for you!

For me: to live is Christ, to die is gain. Help me to live in fruitful labour for you.

May it be your love that compels me to live for you each day. May your love in me be the divine force that helps me carry on each day, regardless of (and in adverse circumstances, in spite of) all that I face each day.

Bring me, once again, to the point where I can say with honest conviction and joy that I am thankful in and FOR all circumstances....because I can see your hand at work in all situations and I am conscious of your presence in every single moment of each day! I have, somewhat, lost sight of that. Take the cobwebs away. Let the eyes of my heart see clearly again.

In your compassion, mercy and grace, allow me, once again, to see you when I seek your face. Enable the eyes of my heart to see, cause my ears to hear, and give me a heart of love for you and for everyone whom you daily place in my life. Stir my heart to love as you love and to beat with the one and same beat as yours. Let me have the heartbeat of God. God is love.

Let your love compel me to live.
Enable me to live courageously and in godly boldness.
Enable me to obey you when you say to me, "Be strong and be courageous!"

Truth be told....with each passing day, I am finding it harder and harder to cope with the fast pace of life. I sometimes feel that I can't keep pace. I am so exhausted from my struggle to stay relevent!

I wish to opt out of the rat-race. I am no rat! I do not wish to participate in this rat-race!

I no longer want to live for my work. I do not want to be driven by achievements and live only for success at work. Life used to be like that for me. It used to be so important for me to enjoy a sense of achievement at my working place and to have job-satisfaction at work.

To achieve that elusive sense of satisfaction with my own achievement, I pushed myself harder and harder, more and more. I found it hard to be satisfied. My attainment was never enough. There was always more out there for me to reach for. I was never good enough. I became my own slave-driver. I became my own harsh and unrelenting task-master.

It is no longer like that. I am no longer driven by my ambition to succeed at work. I am no longer obsessed with obtaining recognition for being outstanding in what I do at the working place.

Now, rather than to live to work, I work to live.

It used to be that when I set off for home each day, I would feel guilty about leaving the working place. Somehow I used to feel that I ought to have stayed longer and to have done more. I had this nagging guilt-feeling that I was not doing enough.

Now, at the end of the working day, I leave the working place without a trace of guilt feeling. I do my best during my working hours. Come the end of the working day, I leave with peace of mind, knowing that, by God's grace, I would return the next day to give it my best shot again. I set off for home, eager for a well-earned rest, and for time and space to do other things which are equally important in my life!

My working life is now but just another aspect of my life. It used to be MY LIFE. It is now merely a part of my life.
I am no longer defined by my occupation.

Lord,should you now open the door and lead me to step out into another place of your own divine appointment, I feel I am ready. No, I should say, "I know that I am ready!"

I am in your hands.

May I borrow Paul's words from Romans 9 to liken my life in God's hands -at His disposal- to that of clay in the Potter's hands? Some may object as they may say that I am quoting this passage out of context. I am unsure if I am doing something which is displeasing to God. It is simply my wish to proclaim God's sovereign control and rule over my life.
"Who can resist God's will? But who are you, my friend, to answer God back? A clay pot does not ask the man who made it, "Why did you make me like this? After all, the man who makes the pots has the right to use the clay as he wishes, and to make two pots from the same lump of clay, one for special occasions and the other for ordinary use." (Romans 9:19-21 TEV)

This speaks to my heart. It causes me to realise that I was living in pride.

Forgive me for my pride in the past.
Thank you for helping me to come to accept that it is really alright to be ordinary.

We are constantly urged to strive to be excellent. In our society's relentless pursuit for excellence, it is so easy for us to swept along and become carried away. It is so easy to come to a point where we begin to withhold respect, or even be tempted to put down anyone who is anything less than excellent. Yes, we might even begin to deal harshly with ourselves when we are anything short of excellence.

You've exhorted us thus : "Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God -what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." (Romans 12:2 TEV)

Help me. I yield myself to you to have me transformed inwardly by a complete change of my mind. Cause me to have the mind of Christ. Help me view life in/from your perspective and to value what you value, to love what you love. Help me to love and respect everyone, every single person, regardless of their achievements or the lack of them, regardless of their position and status in life. Fill me with your divine love. God is love.

Live out your life within me.
I come under your banner.
I want to be identified with you.

And make this life count for you, in everything I say and do!

Thank you that you love me so unconditionally, so graciously, that you are even pleased to have me be identified with you. I am so unworthy! You are a gracious God!