A prayer based on 1 John 3:1-10.

<aside> 🙏🏻 Father, We marvel at the greatness of the love you have lavished on us. We are amazed. We are taken aback that you would love us by calling us your children. Because, Father, there is no reason why you should want to adopt us and bring us into your family. For we were your enemies. Rebels who wanted nothing to do with you and with your ways. If you were to pour out your wrath and judgment upon us, we could have no complaints, or say you are being unfair and unjust, because that is what we deserve. And yet you have lavished your love on us. You have made us your children. You haven’t just forgiven us, but you have brought us into your family. What a privilege we have. But Father, we know this is only possible, because your Son has appeared.

We thank you, Lord Jesus that you appeared to take away our sin. That you came to earth to deal with sin once and for all. To died in our place. To pay the penalty our sin deserves, so we can be forgiven. To remove everything that stops us from being brought into God’s family. To make us fit for heaven,. We thank you, that not only have removed the penalty of sin, but have taken away the power of sin over us, by destroying the work of the devil. Thank you that by your death and resurrection, you have brought us out of bondage and slavery to sin and Satan, so that, when the devil tempts us to sin, we can resist, we can say “No” to sinning, we can live lives of obedience. And we thank you, that you will help us to do this because you have given us your Spirit who lives in us, and with his power in us, we can behave and live as children of God, which we incredibly are.

Lord, help us to get hold of this glorious reality. To believe this is true. That we are your children. That we can live like your children. Knowing that one day we perfectly will, because we have this amazing hope of being like Christ when He returns, and we see Him as He is. We can’t wait for when we will be free from sin. Help us to express this hope now by purifying ourselves. By keeping your commands. By loving our brothers and sisters, those you have also saved by your grace. By ridding ourselves of the sin in our lives, so that we become more like Christ, and give evidence that we are your children, and receive the assurance that we do know you, our God. When we sin, when we are not what we should be, help us to confess this to you and receive the forgiveness that in Christ you are pleased to give.

Amen.

</aside>