×

A Prayer for the Freedom and Joy of Gospel Sanity

     I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” . . . Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. Dan. 4:34-37
     King Jesus, from sunrise to sunset to sunrise, I’m in constant need of a vision of your sovereignty and your goodness. When I look at life through the lens of sovereign grace, my freedom and joy increase. When I fail to do so, my thinking gets skewed and I act our accordingly.
     There are two places of temporary insanity I can fall into. Sometimes, like King Nebuchadnezzar, I arrogantly think I’m in control. I disregard you and act like a sovereign over a little fiefdom called “self.” If I’m successful, I take the credit. If I’m not, I blame others and usually find a way to get what I want anyway. After all, I am the point.
     Other times I act like the consummate orphan. I get afraid and panicky, and I blame you for not answering my prayers the way you’re “supposed to.” I fall into a navel-gazing negativity, and I trust the national news media more than I trust the good news of the gospel. Have mercy. Have mercy on me, King Jesus.
     Indeed, help me to live more of my hours, days, weeks, and months in gospel sanity, Jesus. For it is your kingdom that endures from generation to generation. There has never been a time when you were not King of kings and Lord of lords. You’re not a distant cheerleader, pulling for us from afar. You’re not a coach on a couch, merely telling us what to do. None is more engaged in the affairs of men, nations and nature than you. You are the King of glory, beauty, compassion, mercy, and grace. You are the King who died for us, who was raised for us, who is reigning for us, who is praying for us, and who is returning for us. O, the comfort this gives!
     Right now, you are working all things together after the counsel of your will. Right now, you are working in all things for the good of those who love you, and we love you because you first loved us. Right now, you not only have the heart of every king in your hand, you have my heart in your hand.
     Right now, you do as you please with all the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth, and with me. Right now, everything you do is right and just. Right now, you are the King who has made us your beloved bride. Right now, it is so awesome and comforting to be yours—an object of your affection and a subject in your kingdom! So very Amen I pray, in your peerless and loving name.

LOAD MORE
Loading