By Joseph Ametepe
Good and Gracious Father, by Your goodness and grace; You’ve brought us to the new month of May 2023. In it (May 18, 2023), we celebrate the Ascension of Christ! We thank You for giving us “life and breath and all things” (Acts 17:25). Indeed, if You should gather to Yourself Your spirit and Your breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust (see Job 34:14-15). That’s how much we owe our existence to You. Good Father, we need You. We humbly and honestly acknowledge that we are greatly dependent upon You for everything in life.
Good and Gracious Father, we adore and appreciate You
Also, Good and Gracious Father, we adore and appreciate You for all that You did for us in April 2023! We bless Your holy name. We praise You. For Your Word exhorts and commands us: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:6; NASB). Indeed, You deserve praise for the life and breath You graciously bestowed upon us, not only in April 2023, but also in May 2023! Moreover, Lord, we magnify You for being “gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness” (Psalm 145:8; NASB).
Good and Gracious Father, we honor You
Furthermore, Good and Gracious Father, we honor You. For You are good to all, and Your mercies are over all Your works (see Psalm 145:8). Indeed, Your mercies have been continually over us. O Lord, where would we be without Your mercies over us? We shudder to think about life without Your mercies over us. We simply and sincerely give thanks to You for Your mercies that never cease and are continually over us!
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases
For Your Word assures us: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23; ESV). Indeed, we are so blessed beyond belief to have You as our Father. Your constant care for us cannot be fully expressed. Your faithfulness to us over the years is incredible and indescribable. Truly, You have demonstrated over and over again that You have our best interest at heart. Indeed, You want the very best for us, both in this life and in the life soon to come.
We confidently approach Your throne
As such, Good Father, we confidently approach Your throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (see Hebrews 4:16). We humbly and honestly confess that we desperately need You. We seriously need Your intervention in our lives and circumstances in such a time as this. In fact, we need Your involvement in dealing with the challenges and crises we are facing in our lives and in the world!
Good and Gracious Father, without Your intervention, life would unbearable for us
Indeed, Good and Gracious Father, without Your intervention and involvement, life would be unbearable for us. Life would be intolerable for us. But we are greatly encouraged that You are a God who is mindful of us and will bless us (see Psalm 115:12). Because, we are confident that You are mindful of us and will bless us, we commit the month of May 2023 to You.
Father, fulfill what concerns our families
Please, Father, fulfill what concerns our families, friends, fellow-believers and us in May 2023. Also, God of Israel, accomplish what concerns the nation of Israel – Your redeemed people in May 2023. Please, Lord and Leader of the Church, carry out Your divine purposes for Your Church – Your regenerated people.
Lord...be pleased to perform what You've...appointed for Your world
Furthermore, “Lord of the whole earth” (Psalm 97:5; Zechariah 4:14), be pleased to perform what You’ve sovereignly appointed for Your world. Made up of all the nations and lands You created under the heavens. Indeed, Father, You are the “Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 115:15; NASB)! And yes, You are the LORD, who does whatever You please in heaven, in earth, in the seas and in all deeps (see Psalm 135:6). You rule and reign over all. Surely, You are committed to carrying out Your divine purposes for Israel, Your Church and the world.
Lord of all the earth, we beseech You
As such, “God of Israel” (Exodus 5:1; 24:10; 32:27) and “Lord of all the earth” (Joshua 3:11, 13; Micah 4:13), we beseech You, act on behalf of the nation of Israel. You assured them: “not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you” (Joshua 23:14; NASB). Please, give present Israel one heart and one way, that they may fear You always, for their own good (see Jeremiah 32:39).
Lord, guide them continually
Lord, guide them continually (see Isaiah 58:11) into Your plans and purposes for their lives as Your chosen and cherished people. "O Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 71:22), give present Israel a fresh desire for righteousness. For Your Word says: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people” (Proverbs 14:34; NASB). Also, “God of Israel,” grant them Your peace in such a time as this! For You commanded us to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6; NASB). We know that only You can bring peace to troubled and tormented Israel.
Head of the Church, we confess to You
Also, “Head of the Church” (Ephesians 5:23), we confess to You, that we desperately need You. We greatly need Your supernatural touch and transformation in our lives. For we have left our first love (see Revelation 2:4). Please, restore us to our first love! Reveal more of Yourself to us, even as You revealed more of Yourself to the disciples of old (see Matthew 8:23-27; 17:1-7; Revelation 1-22)! Revive us again that we Your people may rejoice in You (see Psalm 85:6)!
Renew our hunger for You Yourself
Renew our hunger for You Yourself! Rekindle our passion for spreading Your good news in such a time as this! Remember Your Church and act graciously on her behalf, even as You did for believers in ancient times (see Genesis 8:1; 19:29; 30:22; Exodus 2:24)! Reassure us that the same Jesus who ascended into heaven will come in the same way as the early disciples saw Him go into heaven (Acts 1:10)!
Good and Gracious Father, we acknowledge to You
O Good and Gracious Father, we acknowledge to You that the world has lost its way. It has exchanged the truth of God for a lie (see Romans 1:25a). The world is worshiping and serving “the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 1:25b; NASB). For this reason You gave them over to degrading passions. “For their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural” (Romans 1:26; NASB). “And in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Romans 1:27; NASB).
They know the ordinance of God
“Although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them” (Romans 1:32; NASB). This is the depraved and deplorable spiritual condition of the world. It’s indeed sobering. It needs Your supernatural intervention.
Good and Gracious Father, we humbly and honestly turn to You
Therefore, Good and Gracious Father, we humbly and honestly turn to You. For You alone can turn around the deplorable spiritual condition of our world. We admit to You that this is “a heart problem.” We are thankful that: “You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men” (1 Kings 8:39; cf. 2 Chronicles 6:30; Acts 1:24). Not only that, You alone can open a person’s heart to respond to Your spoken message (see Acts 16:14). Furthermore, You alone can change a person’s heart (see 1 Samuel 10:9).
We earnestly beseech You
As such, we earnestly beseech You on behalf of the people of the world. Please, Good and Gracious Father, open their hearts to respond to Your message of love and forgiveness of all their sins! Change their hardened hearts which are prone to wandering far from You! Also, grant them the repentance that leads to life (see Acts 11:18)! We know that You are “not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b; NASB).
We know that You, Lord, have no pleasure in the death of the wicked
Furthermore, we know that You, Lord, have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, rather that he should turn from his ways and live (see Ezekiel 18:23). Therefore, we are confident that You will open and change the hearts of unbelievers to respond to Your gospel message. And that You will grant them the repentance that leads to life in Jesus Christ! And set them on the path of growing in “the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18; NASB).