Discernment and Diligence

Good morning, Father.  Your patience and mercy are extraordinarily welcoming to me.

Two words on my heart:  discernment and diligence.

I recognize that I need to have sharp discernment skills.  Hone me, equip me, train me, counsel me.  As I seek Your wisdom, I also seek Your discernment.  I think of Solomon who had massive gifts of wisdom, but was lacking in the area of discernment.  Father, give me a keen, attentive, Spirit-led mind.  Lead me to greater sources of learning and understanding.  Most of all, though, I lean on You, I lean into YOUR understanding.

I pray too for diligence.  I haven’t always been so good at this.  I have recognized Your hand at work in me over my years as I’ve grown in diligence.  Keep prodding me to stay on task, and to be focused on the vision You have given me.

I can’t help but want to pray these words over the people I serve as well.  Unite us, God!  Bring us together in discernment and diligence.  May we not be beholden to either “traditional” or “contemporary” mentalities, but instead, make us more like You.  Help us to get beyond culture wars and into the peace of serving You with all means possible.  Give us discernment so we never become a closed-house or naval-gazers.  Give us diligence so that we serve others as You have told us to do.

As these prayers evolve in me this morning, my heart begins to cry out for a unifying vision that will bring old and young alike together and determined to serve.  Fire us up with a fresh sense of importance; give us clear vision for how crucial every moment we have here is.  Though many postulate about end-times ideas, I see that we are all in our own personal little end-time.  Awaken our hearts, reverberate our bones, put us on message with renewed vigor.

Here I am, Lord, here I am.  Awake my soul.  Let Your glory rise.  Oh my God, let it rise today!  Let it shine bright for all to see.  Use us, God.  Let it be so for Your Name’s sake…  the Name above all names!