"Heavenly Father,
As this day begins, we come to You with an offering burnt by fire, even as did the priests of old in Israel.
We do not, however, offer a bullock, or goat, or fowl incinerated by earthly flames. We rather bring to You the Offering that You have Yourself provided, the Lamb who passed through the terrible fires of Your wrath against sin.
"Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin" (Isaiah 53:10).
Dear Father, we come with the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for us in an agony such as we will never know or even imagine. We come with the knowledge that we have no other way to come, but with complete assurance that we can come by this holy way. We come with many praises and much thanksgiving, but also with the awareness that David was correct when he declared of Your wondrous works, "If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered" (Psalm 40:5). We come with love, indeed, with the love You have "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" because our Savior knew Your fiery hatred of sin (Romans 5:5). And we come because where else can our hearts go to find life and love and peace and rest?
We come, Father, with the remembrance of Calvary, with the joy of the empty tomb, and with the vision of the Throne occupied by our Lord Jesus. This is Your day, dear Father. Do with and within us as You will, and keep us continually aware that the Light we know shines forth from a fire that once raged against the soul of the Offering we bring. We come, holy Father, by Your Son and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in His name, Amen."
"We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
(Hebrews 4:15-16)
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