Our Light and Salvation

Lord,

As David proclaimed in Psalm 27, you are our light and our salvation. You have made yourself known to us, revealed your great love, and provided clear paths to new life in you. Whether we have known you since childhood or are coming to know you later in life, this access to your rich mercy and unending grace is humbling. For there is nothing we can hide from you, Jesus. 

Every blemish. Every sin. All wrongdoing and harm we have caused or will cause were before you. Rather than reject us out of disgust, denying that you ever knew us, you welcomed us. You drew us close and offered us compassion. You took on our sin as your own and freed us from the shackles of sin and death. You have healed us, and that healing has made its way into the deepest, most hidden parts of us, permeating our lives and making us new creations. 

When we dwell in this truth, our hearts can’t help but leap for joy. What evil can stand against you? What darkness can last in your light? There is no one like you! 

Thank you for your compassionate deliverance, still at work today. You know firsthand the challenges we face and how the weight of the world can be oppressive, overwhelming us with fear, anxiety, and doubt. Thank you for understanding what it means to suffer, to be tempted, and to navigate grief, sorrow, and rejection. We trust you when you say to come to you and lay down all our burdens, and that you will give us rest. We long for this rest and reorientation. So today, as your beloved image-bearers, we lay down our burdens and receive the rest only you can give.

As we abide in you, Holy Spirit, we trust your guidance as you convict us through discernment and wisdom. Teach us what it means to love others as you have loved us. Help us cling to your Word so we might know you all the more. We wait upon you, Lord.

Amen.