from the ruin to restoration-a prayer of gratitude

Adoration

My Lord, My God! You’ve been my dwelling place from generation to generation. You neither change nor decay. You’re glorious and there is no shadow of turning with you. You remain the same forever and ever. You’re clothed in majesty, purity, righteousness, and justice. The lofty created angel pales into insignificance in comparison with you. You deserve all my praise, my devotion, all my time, and all that I am.

Oh, the Divine Trinity! There has never been a time in the eternity past when the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were not united in love. You’re the source and foundation of boundless love, joy, and peace. Though mountains may rise and fall but your love remains the same. In your love, there isn’t a tiniest hint of impurity. Your love is the only hope for the ruined sinner. You loved me before I loved you. In your love, you made a covenant through your Son Jesus Christ even before the foundation of this world. For the glory of your grace, you sent your Son to be the paschal lamb - a lamb to be slaughtered in the place of rebellious sinners.

Our Original Identity - A Ruined Sinner

My Father, I wonder what would have motivated you to love rebels such as I? It is beyond my comprehension that you should love me - a nobody in the ocean of humanity. My Lord! My God! Considering my inherent sin that I inherited from my forefather Adam and the countless sins I committed against you, I do not deserve your love. Because I am consciously aware of every single sin I committed against you, I can never say that you’re unjust. Like David said, against you only have I committed my sin. I deserve your perfect justice. I deserve your perfect wrath. I deserve to be lost, judged, and ultimately cast in hell forever: away from any comfort, any love, and divine fellowship.

Our Restored Identity - A Rescued Sinner

But My God! My Lord! You did not leave me in my sins and trespasses. You sent your Holy Son to save me . When I could not come to Jesus, he came after me, and found me. Oh! how I tried to get out from the gutter myself but I couldn’t do it. All my efforts to rescue myself were in vain.

When I was in the gutter of utter sinfulness, rebellion, despair and unbelief, you stretched out your mighty arm. You pulled me up from the miry clay. When I could not understand how rebellious I was, you showed me that Jesus came to die for me on the cross. Jesus took my sin, curse, guilt, and my shame upon himself. The one who knew no sin was counted as sin. He absorbed God’s just and infinite anger. Jesus jumped from the holy mountain of heaven into the depths of God’s anger to redeem me. He rose again to give me the hope of resurrection. He clothed me with his righteousness when I was naked. He welcomed me into his family. He promised me that he would never leave me nor forsake me.

A Prayer of Gratitude

My Holy Father! Now I understand a tiny bit that your holy love is the reason behind choosing me, saving me, and keeping me . Father, it is my prayer that you would help me to grow in understanding your love day by day. Would you please bind my restless heart with cords that cannot be broken? Would you please teach me how to rest in your redemption? Having received such love, would you please help me to be your slave - your bond servant only to proclaim the good news of this divine love as long as I live? Father, help me to love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I offer this prayer in the name of Your Holy Son Jesus Christ. Amen.