Sacrifice

Life calls for sacrifice, but it is only natural for us as human beings to be so. Sometimes our selfishness is intended, most of the time it happens naturally. Comfort and convenience makes everything easier and so people will do anything to consider their needs first or the needs of those they love (family/close friends) before meeting those needs of other people. Thank you God for showing me otherwise. Last night I cleaned the house, before telling my sister she needed to make more of a sacrifice to clean and keep things tidy. I know I do too, but cleaning was something that I have been doing for months. As I began cleaning in the wee hours of the morning 12am I just kept thinking sacrifice Lord. For some people maybe you are showing them something different in their lives right now, but with me you are showing me unconditional sacrifice. Even when I clean and the house gets messy again to not wait for others to come in and help because sometimes they wont be able to do it and even if I have a schedule for the week, don't worry about it just get back in there and clean. It may feel like I am a servant, but all things I do I do unto You Lord and through constantly cleaning and picking up other people's mess and mine too, you have taught me patience and what your love looks like. It is sacrificial. I went to bed close to 3am this morning and God knows I fought every inch of sleep since I was up at 5:10am yesterday morning, traveled back home for 4 hours on a bus and then went straight to church to help out with programs and to attend service, I came home around 7:00pm and went to a coffee shop to do some writing until 11:50pm. God is good though we have to be prepared to work all the time. I ask God to show me more sacrifice, I was beginning to resent sacrificing all the time ans asking God how much longer. It is similar to when Peter said: "Lord how many times should I forgive my brother?" And Jesus answered and said seventy times seven. God is good and His mercy endures forever.

God please take away any residues of bitterness, please take away the desire for me to want and get the last word in, in a quarrel, God please take away the quarrel itself. I want to be like you in every facet. Forgive me for being stubborn at times, selfish in my thinking at times and help me to work harder to sacrifice my time and needs to serve others. Also teach me obedience first and show me what it means to obey as obedience is better than sacrifice. God I pray for the unfinished projects that I have started and aim to finish, Lord I pray that you will show me how to prioritize my time in such a way that I may get what needs to be done done, but by not being selfish and just focusing on my own schedule, to do this as I continue to make sacrifices to serve others. I pray for ideas for my projects and for patience when the ideas don't come as quick as I would like them to come. God I pray for my students that you will continue to help me teach well and that my students will learn well. Thank you for this day and as I pray for all those that I will meet today that I may rise to share Christ with them in my actions and words and through sharing the Gospel. I pray that you will prepare their hearts to receive the good news that you love them despite their past and present, and today is the day of salvation, if they hear your voice I pray that they will not harden their hearts. God you are always good. Continue to glorify your name and may your will be done on earth as it is in  heaven. Amen :)