Father we thank You for the gift of work. You gave it to us as an opportunity to create and care for things like You do. There’s no greater satisfaction than having a skill that meets a need or taking something from a mere idea to physical reality.
Work is another reminder we’re created in Your image.
But we’ve bought into another kind of work You never called us to. It’s our effort to prove we can please You—apart from You. It sounds ridiculous to say because we know without faith in Christ it’s impossible to please You.
But we’re constantly tempted to work to be worthy.
We’re so grateful You sacrificed your Son for us and so blown away by our limited understanding of what it cost Jesus, that we want to give You a “return on your investment.”
Plus, daily we spend hours proving ourselves to people.
Why they should buy our product, why they should hire us, or why they should have anything to do with us at all. And here You are the One, True, and Living God, drawing us close! It’s too much to comprehend and for many of us too good to be true.
So, we approach You the way we approach the world.
We roll up our sleeves and work hard to show You our worth.
Heaven forbid You think You wasted your Son’s blood on us. So, we tick the boxes on the invisible checklist of rules we labor under, headed up by the Ten Commandments.
The same Commandments no one can keep—but You.
The ones meant to bring us to the end of self-confidence and to recognize we need Jesus. The ones Jesus fulfilled to the letter and nailed to His cross so we’d be free to walk with You in a relationship instead of under regulations.
But we keep trying to live up to them.
And we’re so tired.
The harder we try to “please” You, the more we’re aware how true it is no good thing dwells in our flesh. So Holy Spirit, help us get over ourselves and enter God’s rest by accepting the truth.
Jesus did the greatest work for us because You count us worthy.
And we’ll never understand why, but we honor You with our obedience in entering your rest. We toss our useless list aside and rest from striving because we don’t work for Your approval—we serve at Your pleasure!
It’s in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Prayer inspired by Hebrews 4:10-11.
Here at Vine Life Faith, we pray God’s Word to enjoy God’s will because His Word contains the words He’s obligated to. While we pray inspired by a particular verse, the prayer references multiple verses as the Lord leads. Please share this prayer with those who need it and if it blesses you or someone you know—say so in the comments. God bless you!
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