PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Jesus, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Jesus, we belong to you.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
Acts 26:19–24
“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”
CONSIDER THIS
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. . . . I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.
So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.
THE PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION
Lord Jesus, I am your witness. I long to be like you.
I receive your righteousness and release my sinfulness.
I receive your wholeness and release my brokenness.
I receive your fullness and release my emptiness.
I receive your peace and release my anxiety.
I receive your joy and release my despair.
I receive your healing and release my sickness.
I receive your love and release my selfishness.
Come, Holy Spirit, transform my heart, mind, soul, and strength so that my consecration becomes your demonstration; that our lives become your sanctuary. For the glory of God our Father, amen.
THE JOURNAL PROMPTS
What do you think about this distinction between a leader having a vision for the future and seeing the vision from heaven? Which one is the leader you are following now offering?
THE HYMN
Today we will sing “Be Thou My Vision” (hymn 49) from our Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise. Get your copy here.
For the Awakening,
J. D. Walt
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2 Responses
Excellent!!! Today’s Wake-up call promotes the vision of the enacted Kingdom of God. Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the the Father does the son also does.” (John 5:19) As God’s adopted children, we would do well to do the same. Be thou our vision.
I woke up with this poem developing in my mind.
I love to see
Amazing grace
Gleam and shine
From someone’s face.
I love to see
People let
Jesus replace
Their self-focus
With His grace,
And watch Him erase
Their sadness and guilt.
I love to see
Christ’s joy shine
On people’s face
With no trace
Of human pride.
That happens when
They embrace
The risen Jesus
With all their heart.
I love to see
People surrender
To the presence and grace
Of “Christ in you,”
And go far beyond
Routine religion.