For Christmas, my sister and BIL got us a beautiful metal box of prayer cards with space to compose our own petitions on the back of each one. The sources are both Biblical and outside Scripture. One of my favorite gifts this year!!
I want to share a personal prayer inspired by one of the cards . Forgive me, though- I cant remember which one it was!! (Perhaps the restoration prayer.) It is a robust prayer of gratitude that is from the depths of my redeemed soul. Here it is:
“Lord, thank you for the slow but steady restoration, redemption, of my soul, heart, and mind to You and Your will all through my trials. My sins are ever before me, but ‘Your mercies are new every morning’ indeed! I can finally see the light at the end of this dark tunnel. Because of Your grace and love I’m slowly able to forgive myself–for I am truly, finally, beginning to see myself as You see me.
I’m spotlessly beautiful. Forgiven. Covered, dripping, with Grace. And I know better than anyone just how undeserving I am. Like the Psalmist says, ‘I was a brute beast before You’– but You have redeemed my soul and my very life. I will gladly sing praises to You, worship You, for this feat all the remaining days of my life. Thank You, dearest Father, for Your redemptive, restorative work. I will praise You always. Amen.”
❄ The difference between redemption and restoration? When our Redeemer does His sacred work, He changes us. We become not just “fixed”, but better. New. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “In Christ, you are a new creation!” Christ makes us over to be more like Him. I want nothing more than to be as much like my Lord as possible.
Nothing means more to me than to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant!” when I stand before His throne in Paradise. I will be deeply humbled just to stand there– for no one deserves it less. But to hear that, as well?! Almost too much to fathom.
I will share a song as I close this post. Listen as many times as you like. I pray you will be moved to seek a closer relationship with Jesus as a result!!
Boldly I Approach ~ moves me to tears every time I listen. Praise be to Jesus for His fulfilled mission, to make us all heirs to the Kingdom of God. Thank You, Jesus! You are worthy to be praised.
Be blessed , one and all!!!
Verbose Lady 