~ John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion
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God, you are unbelievably, unfathomably awesome. So often, I am tempted to think of myself as something special, someone who deserves good things because of my own merit. I am tempted, by my own sinful nature, to compare myself to others and ignore you. And when I compare myself to others, I excuse my own faults and amplify theirs. I look for cause to blame others and celebrate myself. I am tempted to think of myself as something decent, even good. I seek to promote myself. But, when I give any thought to you, I can see that I am, on my own, insignificant and hollow.
You, God, are great beyond compare and everything pales in relation to you. Except that you reached out your hand to me and chose me for your care and attention. You gave me significance when you adopted me into your holy family and promised me a glorious inheritance. You saw me in my complete sin and rebellion, and you saved me by your grace and for your glory. And you deserve every bit of the glory. Only you could save me and I owe everything to you, my creator and sustainer, my father in heaven.
Father, help me to always keep my focus on you. Help me resist the temptation to see myself only in flattering terms and promote myself to the level of a god. Show me how to look beyond this earth and see you, your majesty and power, your faithfulness and wisdom, your justice and compassion, your love and your mercy. Help me know the reality that I would be hopelessly lost without you, and help me live in constant thankfulness for the gifts you continually give me.
I come to you and I praise you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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