(This was the prayer I wrote this past Saturday but forgot to post here at the TGC!)
I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land. Jer. 32:40-41 (NLT)
Dear heavenly Father, my favorite word these two verses is the personal pronoun “I,” and you are the one doing the talking. You have chosen to be a most incomparably grace-full, tenaciously faithful, and eternally joyful God to us. Astonishing: You have promised never to stop doing good for us. We believe, Lord; help our unbelief.
We worship you, because you gave us the desire; we know you, because you gave us your Son; we’ll never leave you, because you’ll never let go of us; we’ll enter heaven, because you’ll plant us there. And everything you do for us, you do wholeheartedly and most joyfully.
Father, the last few days have done nothing but underscore your covenant faithfulness throughout my life. You have cared for me when I couldn’t have cared less for you; and you have carried me when I could carry on. Thank you for the serendipitous gifts your drop into our lives at just the right time—“goodies” which remind us what a great and gracious God you are.
It was such a joy to sit across the table last night from the childhood friend who led me to Christ, over four and a half decades ago. We were both clueless until you clued us in to beauty and bounty of Jesus. But perhaps the sweetest gift of late has been to reconnect with an aunt who has been a life-long bud, blossom, and bouquet of your grace to me—long before I had eyes to see it and heart to enjoy it. I praise you for her, Father.
Indeed, you give us so many good gifts, and most of them come to us wrapped in the flesh and blood of your image bearers—the people you write into our stories. Forgive us when we demand more, or expect less from you. Great is your faithfulness, daily your mercies, and much more than sufficient your grace. So very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ triumphant and tender name.