Morning Prayer

Holy Father, mercifully open my heart by the power of your grace.  Just like your grace can rend the rocks in two, rend my heart.  Open it so that I can receive all the treasures of your love, which were procured for me on the cross.  Acceptance?  It is mine, if only I should accept it.  Faith?  It is mine, if only I should trust it.  Forgiveness?  It is mine, if only I should receive it.  Reconciliation?  It is mine, if only I should lay my weapons down.  Mercy?  It is mine, if only I should hand over my punishment to him.  New life?  It is mine, if only I should hand over my old life.  Father, open my heart, even when I try to clamp it shut.  Pry through my resistance with the machinery of your word and Spirit.  Keep it open, so that it can receive the storm of your love that you want to shower on it.  Dispel the drought with your efficacious rain.  When I close myself off to you, the drought grows, spreads like an incurable disease, leaving me dusty, infected, obdurate, and useless.  Apart from you we have no joy, for we’ve tasted all the world has to offer, and it’s like eating sand.  Nothing satisfies, refreshes, heals, or gives joy, but you alone.  On the cross, your outstretched arms reached to the farthest heart, to those who were not even looking for you.  Like a thief, you grabbed our lost and fainting souls, before it was too late.  You washed us with your blood, until we came out white.  May I not hide from the only one who unconditionally loves me.  I know that the only reason I have life today is because you want to make your life known to me and through me.  Amen.