A prayer based on Matthew 5:21-48.

<aside> 🙏🏻 Lord Jesus,

There is no other name apart from Yours by which we can be saved from our sins; by which we can be rescued from the punishment of hell we deserve for our rebellion. We praise You, that in Your life, death, and resurrection, You have saved all who turn from their sins and trust in You; that You have forgiven us and given to us Your perfect righteousness, so that we are now acceptable before God. If You had not done this for us, we would be helpless and without hope, as we have not and could never obey God’s law enough ourselves for Him to accept us. Our righteousness does not surpass that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, and so there is no chance we can enter the kingdom of God.

How grateful we are Lord Jesus, that You have done for us what we cannot do for ourselves; that we are now part of Your kingdom, and with the help of Your Holy Spirit, we can live in a way that shows we are. Both in our actions but also our deeper heart attitudes. That You help us to put to death anger and bitterness. That You help us to resist the temptation to give into lust. That You help us to be faithful in our relationships. That You help us to speak words that are trustworthy and true. That You help us to show restraint when we are wronged and not get revenge. And that You help us to love our neighbours, including those who we might see as our enemies – after all this is the love which You have already shown to us.

Yet we confess that though we are able to, with Your help, live out this new life we now have, we frequently fail to. Instead of being marked by peace, we get angry. Instead of being pure, our eyes are drawn to what is out of bounds. Instead of being faithful, we have let others down. Instead of being truthful, we are dishonest. Instead of exercising self-control, we give into our passions. Instead of being loving, we find hatred towards others rising up from within. And because of all this, we fail to reflect what You are like. Forgive us again we pray, and continue to bring about the change we desperately need within us that is evidence that you have saved us, and so that we might bring glory to Your perfect Father in heaven.

Amen.

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