Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. –Ephesians 5:1-2

This morning sitting on the dock before the hot sun

Takes over the beach

A gentle breeze still blowing

Not really cool but not yet hot

This morning feeling called to pray instead of write

But I want my prayer to have a shape

I want to listen more than speak

So I listen awhile to the still, small voice

I reflect first on my need for daily repentance- I think if I were to do this daily, I would be less judgmental of others, realizing how much I have been forgiven. There is nothing more off-putting than a victim mentality. All week I have been thinking about acceptance- of the people and things I cannot change, the need for forgiveness so bitterness does not gain a foothold in my heart.  As I start to reflect on the areas I want to pray for, I realize the letters are starting to spell a word: fragrant. Our prayers are meant to be a fragrant offering to the Lord, and I have been realizing that how I was taught to pray ACTS (adoration-confession-thanksgiving-supplication) is missing a few steps. 

FRAGRANT

Forgive others

Repent of sin

Accept what I can’t change

Give thanks

Receive his love, mercy, grace, and power

Ask for his favor

Notice the beauty of Creation

Tune to my heart to his praise

I like the idea of having adoration at the end instead of the beginning because all of those heart postures add up to a palms up praising of God for his goodness in my life. Lord, make my life a fragrant offering.

Forgive others

Unforgiveness is a weed that grows back- you have to pull it up from the root but also weed daily to keep it from gaining a foothold in the garden of your heart.

Repent of sin

Other people are not the only sinners, and daily repentance reminds me of how much I have been forgiven- keeping me in a humble posture rather than a proud one. Pride is the sin God hates, and when I see it in others, it is clearer to me why it is so ugly.  Repentance is the cure for pride. “Look in the mirror, not out the window.”

Accept what I can’t change

This has been a theme for me this summer- rather than trying to cajole, manipulate, work harder to change a person or situation- just pray about those things and leave them in God’s inbox.

Give thanks

The blessings in my life are far more numerous than those frustrating things I cannot change, yet I spend too little time giving thanks.  I love the thought I read recently- what if the things you failed to give thanks for yesterday disappeared today? 

Receive his love, mercy, grace, and power

The Father wants us to rest in his love for us.  He wants us to have access to his power working within us to change- my heart needs to receive those things, palms up

Ask for his favor

Pray about my needs, my family’s needs, my friends’ needs, pray for my enemies- if I can pray for God’s favor in their lives, then I know I have truly forgiven them. If I can’t, I haven’t.

Notice the beauty of Creation

Creation is a baseline for our thanks- ALL of us- every person on this planet, can thank God for the beauty and wonder of Creation. And if we make it a point to notice every day, we will be able to notice throughout our days as well – a beautiful sunrise, a bird who swoops in front of us, the colors of the grass and trees and sky.

Tune my heart to his praise

Adoration at the end of my prayer seems like a good place for it- my heart has been prepared for true adoration, not weighed down with worries and sins like so many stones. My heart is lighter and I am able to give him my praise with a heart full of joy and surrender.

Today since I had time on the dock, I wrote down and prayed about many things under each of those headings. But I think I am going to try and do this every day- and if I can even forgive one person, repent of one sin, give thanks for one thing, etc. that may be a good start.