Nothing

I pray in the middle of the night, when I awaken, and the vain noise of the day does not compete against my pursuit of God for my attentions.  I do pray all day long - without ceasing - yet there are so many disruptions that impatiently make demands on me.  Jesus did say, "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33  So, I pray during the day in the vain clamoring, and at night when it is quiet.  My prayers often feel as a groping for God - His direction, protection, and favor.  Sometimes I am so fuzzy headed in the wee hours that I have trouble praying, but I will not let go.  I often visualize myself lying prostrate at the feet of Jesus, holding on to his ankle like a child getting pulled along by their daddy's leg as they refuse to let go.  He patiently lets me hold on, and sometimes I giggle - when I am not weeping.

As I have been praying recently, offering myself wholly to God, I have realized I have NOTHING to offer my Heavenly Father!  All I am, all that I have, and all I offer to give, is already His!  I am His - and I am but a vapor - a blade of grass that is here today and gone tomorrow.  My praise of Him already belongs to Him.  My praise is His, and it is owed Him!  It is right to praise my Heavenly Father, because praise already belongs to Him!  In my obedience I cannot bring God glory, because it is right to obey Him and the glory already belongs to Him!  I was created for His purpose and glory, even since I was but a thought.  God is not in place for my purpose and glory.  There is nothing I have to give my God - even in gratitude - that doesn't already belong to Him, and is owed Him.  My salvation and adoption into His family is all His doing, for His glory and His pleasure.  All of my salvation speaks of who He is - His absolute holiness, goodness, and mercy.  And, I cannot comprehend His affections and attentions to me - His gift of salvation.  To say I am grateful is so insufficient.  I am undone...  All of my capacity to worship Him is wholly His.  And I LONG to worship Him.  "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?"  Psalm 42:1-2

I identify with the Psalmist when he says, "My soul cleaves to the dust;

Revive me according to Your word. I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;

Teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts,

So I will meditate on Your wonders. My soul weeps because of grief;

Strengthen me according to Your word. Remove the false way from me,

And graciously grant me Your law. I have chosen the faithful way;

I have placed Your ordinances before me. I cling to Your testimonies;

O Lord, do not put me to shame! I shall run the way of Your commandments,

For You will enlarge my heart. Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,

And I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law

And keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,

For I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies

And not to dishonest gain. Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,

And revive me in Your ways. Establish Your word to Your servant,

As that which produces reverence for You. Turn away my reproach which I dread,

For Your ordinances are good. Behold, I long for Your precepts;

Revive me through Your righteousness."

Psalm 119:25-40

It is only the Good Shepherd who leads me in paths of righteousness, and this for His Name's sake.  He ordains and keeps my steps.  I cannot.  He even causes me to stand, and keeps my feet from slipping!  I am in love...

Jesus Christ (Yeshua Hamashiach) even prayed for those who are His.  While "The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it." Psalm 24:1, not all people are children of God.  Only those who place their trust in Jesus, take up their cross, and follow Him.  One must die to the old man of sin, and be born again in Christ Jesus - made a New Creation!  Here is the prayer Jesus gave to the Father, in our behalf - those of us who are His: 

He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17

Let us sing along with the angels, "“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”  Luke 2:14. All praise to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.