Daily Prayer 11/2/07

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope {fixed} on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.


Father, first we see John is speaking to believers. By faith alone in His death for our sins, we are children of Yours. Any faith in anything else, whether works, traditions, a feeling of fear or obligation....trusting in help from any other source than Father Son and Holy Spirit they are NOT Your children, but rather are children of wrath as Your Word says. Next is says we do not yet know what we will be like. We do know that we will be different with a glorified body. Just as something that looks different springs out of the ground when a seed is planted, so we will also be different. We see Christ's glorified body in scripture when we read the account of the transfiguration right before the eyes of John. Still we can not imagine ourselves glorified and free from sin in perfect bodies. All perfect, yet all different. Still recognizable as ourselves, yet different from who we are now.

We look forward to the return of Christ Father because we know that when our King returns in glory, we will be taken up and be made like Him. He will not be hidden behind the veil of flesh as He was on this earth. I often wonder how human flesh could ever hide such holy majesty and glory and power of our God and Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ. Yet, He was willing to set aside His glory for a short time, to become like us and to be tempted as we are, yet without sin. He was made like us, so He could feel the full suffering of Your wrath poured out on His human flesh for our sins. In perfect communion with You, He felt the indescribable pain of being separated from the Father. He along with Adam and Eve know how it feels to be in perfect communion with You and then to be separated from that perfect relationship. Our minds can not even understand what joy that will be to be in perfect communion with You Lord. Our sin doesn't even let us understand how offensive our sin is to You Lord. Like hearts that have become like thick, calloused skin...we are not sensitive to the ugliness and utter wickedness of even our smallest sins.....It says so much about us that we would even think there is such a thing as a small sin!

I can not wait for the day when flesh does not veil our King's glory! It's not heaven I want, it's not the perfect peace and joy of eternity with all I need that I desire..... I only desire to have my Lord with me and keeping me close. It's You I want Lord Jesus! You are my greatest desire....I want nothing else! Only tell me You love me and You want me to walk with You. I don't care where we walk, only hold my hand and I'll know it is alright.

As the verse concludes, Lord Jesus, I want to fix my eyes on You and love You and follow You. May this focus cause my life to become holy. I won't even see it, but it will be the natural byproduct of my walk with You. As I desire to walk after You and as I try to walk closer to You, behind me in my path I will be leaving a holy life filled with faith, peace, joy, understanding and love. Like a little child runs after their Father that they love....with joy they run after him. They often stumble and fall and wobble and bounce along....but with a big smile on their face, the simple love of a child for their Father keeps them moving closer and closer to him. What joy when Daddy will stop and bend down and pick me up and say "Come up here my son!" And with a big hug I will look around and see I am up high and feel tall like Him. Then He will say, Son put your feet down, I have made You like me!

Lord Jesus as this life flies by and a toddler running one day so soon has become and adult like us.... I can't wait for the day when I stand before You and see that You took my young child-like faith, You fed me with Your words in the Bible and You brought me to maturity. Even on my death bed there will be sin in my heart. That is the great reward....not just that through You we will overcome death, but that You will make us like You!!!!

Father I thank You that right now as I get ready for sleep, I can lay down and know 100% with no doubt in my mind that our Emma is with You and LIKE You!

I know that our friends Bill and Karen have their 5 year old little girl Aubrie laying only inches away from Your Kingdom.....we pray for her quick healing! Yet, at the same time as parents all we want for our kids is that they would end up with You and that they could be made LIKE You! A tough tug of war with the emotions....we love them and do not want to let them go, yet at the same time we know they are better if they are with You. SOOO HARD Father! So we are brought to our knees to only ask for Your peace and grace to get through each day and trust You fully in Your perfect will and sovereignty over every situation. Our peace is in knowing You and knowing You are good and work all things to Your glory.

Oh, Lord there are so many needs to pray for....Please hear our prayers and use our situations to make us more like Your Son, our Savior, Brother and our King, Jesus Christ.

Finally I just ask You to bother our conscience wherever we have sin in our lives and wherever there is error in what we believe....I pray we would read our Bibles more to help reveal both to us. Amen.