“The accomplishing of the goal of all things is close at hand. Therefore, help me to keep alert and self-controled so I can pray. More than anything, help me to keep loving your people, Yeshua, actively because love covers many sins.” 1 Peter 4:7-8
1. PRIORITIES
I pray this every morning and it helps me to keep things in perspective. The first thing this verse says to me is “Get your priorities straight.” One time I spilled the homemade chicken noodle soup (with homemade noodles) upside down on the floor. I was serving dear friends who had asked for this specifically. I had just been thinking about how that we needed to keep our focus on Jesus. My temptation was to cry and get angry with myself and ruin the evening for my guests and my family and myself. I checked the response to the disaster with the as a prayer I sent immediately to Jesus “Lord, help me to understand in my heart that 10,000 years from now this is really not going to matter at all.“ He gave me peace. We went out to fast food and had a delightful time of fellowship in spite of the food disaster. God says, “The accomplishing of all things is close at hand.” We do not need to be afraid but we do need to be ready.
2. Help Me Keep Alert So I Can Pray
The second prayer I found in this verse tells me of the need to keep alert in order to pray. Have you ever tried to pray only to have your mind try to figure out how you were going to do a task for the day? When I am in prayer and I find my mind wandering I pray this verse, “Lord, help me to focus. Help me to keep alert so I can pray. I want to spend this time with You!” He helps me. Some days the battle has to take place repeatedly but I find that it is very rewarding to persist. I have strength for the day through prayer with my Lord. Also, I want to stay alert to the needs of others around me so I can lift them up in prayer.
3. Most Important — Love
The third aspect of this prayer is, “Lord, help me to love your people.” OooH. Why should this be so hard? Is it not because of high expectations? We expect God’s people to be perfect (such as we are not!). When they fail in this area, we are disappointed and all out-of-sorts with them. God wants us to love each other, overlooking one another’s faults. So when I begin praying I ask God to help me get my priorities straight and remember what is important. Then I ask Him to help me focus and pray. Then I ask that He help me love His children. I ask that He helps me to love with His love. Praise God for that unbelieveable miraculous love that He has for us. Praise God that He forgives me! Praise God that He loves me!
It is a good way to start the day.
