A prayer based on Acts 3.

<aside> 🙏🏻 Our great and glorious God, We thank You for the hope You hold out to us. For the promises You have made, and which You are certain to keep. We thank You for the promise You made that You will save Your people and bring them into a new creation. That a time is coming when people will no longer get sick or suffer. When all the effects of the Fall will be gone, and sin will be no more. We thank You that a new and transformed world is coming, and we can be certain that it will, because Your Son, the Lord Jesus, has been raised as the firstfruits of those who died. That because He was raised, His people will be raised. That because He was changed, His people will be changed. And not just His people, this world too. That it will be renewed and restored. No longer will groan as it is liberated from its bondage to decay.

How we need this new life that You have promised. We are born spiritually crippled and unable to live or walk in a way that pleases You. Dead in our transgressions. Outside of Your presence and Your people. That’s who we are because of our sinful nature, and we are unable to do anything about this. We constantly break Your law, intentionally and unintentionally, by what we do and say and think and feel. We do not love You as we should. Death and condemnation is what we deserve.

So, thank You that we can have this new life You have promised. That we are not beyond the reach of Your grace. That when we repented of our sins and put our faith in Jesus, the author of life, He gave to us this new life. Our sins were wiped out as You forgave us. We have a relationship with You. Spiritual refreshment is available to us. And we can look forward to that day when Jesus comes again with final salvation to all who are waiting for Him as He brings this promised transformation.

Lord, as those who have received this new life, and who are certain that we will receive it in its fullness, help us to reject our old way of living and embrace the new life we now have. We know it is tough. We know that we often will fail and have a daily need to confess our sins and seek Your forgiveness. We do that now. Acknowledging the ways we have offended You, and asking for fresh mercy. Give us the assurance that mercy is what we will receive, and fill us with the joy that comes from knowing we have been pardoned; and from having the hope of the resurrection from the dead.

Thank You that You have given us Your Spirit and Your church to help and encourage us in the war against sin and to walk the path that leads to glory.

Amen.

</aside>