Pensées sur le Verset du Jour...
J'aime une demande qu'un bon ami fait régulièrement au Seigneur: «Humiliez-moi doucement, Père». La transformation est un travail difficile et exige encore plus de patience de la part de Dieu que de notre part. Nous remercions Dieu pour sa grâce qui nous permet d'admettre notre péché et pourtant d'entrer dans sa sainte et impressionnante présence. Heureusement, il ne nous traite pas comme nous le méritons, mais comme nous en avons besoin (cf. Psaume 103).
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Jeremiah frequently struggled with the hard message the Lord gave him to communicate to God's people. He often wept over and complained to God about what he was given to communicate. While he knew he was wrong to complain, he begged the Lord to correct him with justice and mercy, not anger and punishment. This request reminds me of a similar request a good friend regularly makes of the Lord when he prays, recognizing his own weaknesses and failings: "Humble me gently, Father," he often prays. Our transformation, which requires correction and grace, is hard work and requires even more patience on God's part than on our part. So we thank God for his grace, which lets us admit our sin and yet still come into his holy and awesome presence, knowing he will be both just and merciful, righteous and gracious. Thankfully, the Lord doesn't treat us as we deserve but as we need (Psalm 103:1-22). We, too, can pray, "Correct me, Lord, but only with justice — not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing."
Ma Prière...
Cher Dieu, je pèche. Je n'aime pas ça, mais je continue de succomber à certaines de mes faiblesses de longue date. S'il te plaît, corrige-moi et mets-moi sur le chemin de la justice. Plus encore que de vouloir te plaire, je veux t'honorer, alors s'il vous plaît, débarrasse-toi doucement et systématiquement de la duplicité de mon coeur, de la tromperie et de la faiblesse spirituelle. Nourris-moi dans la sainteté. Change-moi pour être plus comme Christ le Seigneur. Au nom de Jesus. Amen.
My Prayer...
Dear God, I sin. I don't like it when I sin, but I still find myself succumbing to some of my long-standing weaknesses. Please correct me and put me on the path of righteousness, dear Father, but please humble me gently, not correcting me in your anger but in transforming me by your discipline and grace. Even more than wanting to please you, dear Father, I want to honor you even more. So please, gently and consistently rid my heart of duplicity, deceit, and spiritual weakness. Nurture me in holiness. In Jesus' name. Amen.
