Just as I reached the end of my few spoken prayers yesterday morning, today’s verses began to flow into my mind. I had to postpone falling silent, so I could write them down.
Their rhythm might sound a bit odd if you read them as a poem, but they fit the tune of my favourite childhood Sunday School chorus, “Turn your eyes towards Jesus”. I tried to include a YouTube link to it, but failed.
The original moving, meditative song was written by Helen Lemmel, in 1918. Her words are available on Google, but I don’t want to risk breaching copyright by quoting them here.
Instead, here is a recording of me singing today’s prayer to her tune. Please forgive my weak voice and shortness of breath:
70690685157__3F624E7F-C0B5-49C2-A0FE-80B5D2ADA556
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).
Take a step towards Jesus,
Turn to his Father, repent,
Then relinquish selfishness,
Take your cross,
And follow the Saviour
God sent.
Christ forgives every trespass,
Taking away all your sin,
Then He sets you free
For abundant life,
As you grow every day
More like Him.
The Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).
References
Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; NLT).
God so loved the world, that he even gave his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world should be saved by him (John 3:16-17; LB).
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10; NIV).
As we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world (1 John 4:17; NLT).
This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ (Ephesians 4:13; NLT).
We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ (Ephesians 4:15; NLT).