Simple Short Daily Prayer Books Series Book 2

Other Simple Prayers P39

Prayer 290: Help us to put off the old and embrace the new, Lord Jesus in Your name amen.

Holiness 201.
None of our clothes last forever. They tear, they shrink,
1 And they suffer from stains and other damage until we just can't wear them anymore. And once they reach that point, we take them off for the last time, never to put them on again. This is how Paul urges us to treat the sins of our old self. They must be put away and taken off for good; they aren't suitable for us to wear as God's children.
However, instead of putting them away once and for all, as Paul commands, we often put our sins in a drawer— hidden from others' eyes but close at hand for us to access when we want them. We don't mind the holes or the filthiness. We love hiding these sins and putting them back on.

Jesus knows how stubborn our old selves are, and that's why He clothes us with holiness Himself! Although we are stained with sinful habits and desires, He still dresses us head to toe in righteous robes, washed dazzling white by His blood shed on the cross. He covers our multitude of sins with His love, a love that fills us with a genuine desire to live in this new self. And the result is harmony—peace with others and with God.

Read Colossians 3:1–17 and Psalm 51:1–12
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:14.

Prayer 291: Lord Jesus, thank You for making us heirs of all the benefits of Your kingdom in Jesus' name amen.
Read Isaiah 52:1–10 and Psalm 135:1–14

Prayer 292: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." Isaiah 52:7.

Long Live the King!
When Charles VII ascended the French throne after his father, Charles VI, died in 1422, the people shouted, "The king is dead, long live the king!" The phrase simultaneously announced the former king's passing and the new king's rule. In a monarchy, it falls to the king's heir to take his place upon his death so the kingdom will continue to be governed and guided. And only time will tell what the heir's rule will be like. Will he rule like his father or not, for better or worse?
That's not how the throne works in the kingdom of heaven. God has ruled over every aspect of creation since the beginning. Yet He has handed all of that authority to His own Son. And what has Jesus done with it? He has freed the world from the power of sin, risen from the dead, and continues to exercise His dominion from the Father's side.

Prayer 293: Let us ever be mindful of Your promises, Lord Jesus, and may we be watchful for how You fulfill in Your holy name through the powerful gift of the Holy Spirit this we pray amen.
Read Luke 24:50–53 and Psalm 57:7–11.
And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Luke 24:52

Prayer 294: Forgive me for where I have wandered, Lord. Draw me close to You by the work of Your Spirit in my heart in Jesus' name amen.
Read Genesis 3:1–19 and Psalm 94:8–15.
But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" Genesis 3:9.

The God Seeks Out The Lost Who Have Sinned.
God is looking for you, not to terrify you, not to burden you, but to bring you back to His side. He is never ashamed to call you His child, no matter where He finds you. He will never stop seeking you. And He rejoices when you return.
The Lord knew what had happened. He was fully aware that Adam and Eve had just brought sin into His perfect world and now were hiding from Him. He is all-knowing and all-seeing, yet the Father set out to find them. "Where are you?" He cried, longing for His children to come out and talk to Him.
It's only a small part of Genesis 3, but here we catch a glimpse into God's heart: from the very beginning, God has searched for lost sinners Himself. He makes the first move of restoring our relationship with Him. He knows that we hide from Him, that we fear His wrath and anger when we mess up. He doesn't wait for us to muster up the courage to talk things through with Him-He comes to us, finds us in whatever dark place we've thrown ourselves in, and helps us out of it. Yes, He may use His Law to rebuke us for what we've done, but He is also gracious and merciful, always eager to set us back where we belong—in His loving arms.