Bible Reading: Ephesians 2:8-10
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Every day we are faced with a choice. We can either choose to follow God or choose not to. This may seem like a very spiritual question, but in fact, it is very practical. For example, when you finish your schoolwork, what do you choose to do with your time? Do you choose to do something beneficial for God’s kingdom, or do you waste time for yourself? When you know you have to go to bed to wake up in the morning, do you go to bed, or do you choose to stay up?
If we want to learn to glorify God, we must learn to obey in all these little choices. At the moment, it can be really hard because we are fighting against our own sinful desires. But, we must pray and fight with the strength of the Holy Spirit. If we need a place to start, have we fought our undesire to read God’s Word and pray to Him today? We must grow in prayer and reading God’s Word always if we want to grow in our faith.
Choices: Valley of Vision Puritan Prayers
O GOD,
Though I am allowed to approach thee
I am not unmindful of my sins,
I do not deny my guilt,
I confess my wickedness, and earnestly
plead forgiveness.
May I with Moses choose affliction rather than
enjoy the pleasures of sin.
Help me to place myself always under thy guiding
and guardian care,
to take firmer hold of the sure covenant that
binds me to thee,
to feel more of the purifying, dignifying,
softening influence of the religion I profess,
to have more compassion, love, pity, courtesy,
to deem it an honour to be employed by thee
as an instrument in thy hands,
ready to seize every opportunity of usefulness,
and willing to offer all my talents to thy service.
Thou hast done for me all things well,
hast remembered, distinguished, indulged me.
All my desires have not been gratified,
but thy love denied them to me
when fulfilment of my wishes would have
proved my ruin or injury.
My trials have been fewer than my sins,
and when I have kissed the rod it has fallen
from thy hands.
Thou hast often wiped away my tears,
restored peace to my mourning heart,
chastened me for my profit.
All thy work for me is perfect,
and I praise thee.
