I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.
Jeremiah 10:23-24
Lord, I know that I miss the mark. More often than I choose to admit. Whether it is when I am upset by others, frustrated with circumstances, or not able to have things my way, it is then that I am most guilty of breaking away from godly behavior. I know that I am not always Christlike in my responses – lashing out in frustration, indignant in my demeanor, or just plain offensive in my opining. What drives me nuts is that I know better. I want to be better. But when the situations come upon me I just can’t seem to get it right. I feel like I always make the wrong decision, respond in the wrong manner, do the wrong thing, are led by the wrong emotions.
I so need Your grace and mercy, and I am so thankful that I have it in Jesus! My heart rejoices in the fact that You give me what I need and not what I deserve! When I am wrong You do not punish me in anger but instead correct me You love. And You do not execute judgement against me, always administering justice in my situations, but instead You dole out mercy upon mercy, never meeting out my discipline fully according to my infractions. Instead, You look at my Savior and assigned my full guilt to the account that He has paid. Hallelujah!
Lord, I know what I deserve and am grateful that You have forgiven me and poured Your love on me. Because of this I want to do better for You today. Not to earn Your love because I could never do that. Not even to repay You because the debt is too great. Instead, just because I am grateful and do not want to disappoint You. I want to make You happy, pleasing You by living a life that points towards how great and loved You are in my eyes, sharing with everyone I know who You are to me and to them. Thank You.