The grand exchange... a prayer of submission - Dave Sims

Oh Lord,

I have nothing to offer you, for all I have is from your hand.  You gave me my life at no cost to me.  You number my days, you began them and you will end them.  Yet you have given me dominion over every day in between.  You have relinquished a piece of eternity into my hands, to see what I would do with it.  My soul, my thoughts, the intent of my heart, and my actions are all a gift from you at my discretion and disposal.  In many of these areas I have made a mess... thoughts that I despise, memories of actions not honorable, a heart that can be deceitful, and a soul that is bruised and broken.  You gave me these gifts and I squandered them, and then you gave me yourself to redeem what I broke.  You gave me "me", and then you gave me "you" to fix the me I ruined.  All you ask in return is that I give me back to you.  The once perfect now broken me, the disfigured reflection of you that I have made.  I am only giving back what you gave to me, and only because you have enabled me to give it.  And now through the image of Jesus you offered to iron out my wrinkles, cut out the bad spots, file off the rough edges and make me look more like you.  It's an unbelievable offer... I'll take it!!!  It's all yours, do with this story what you can, use it for your glory and the good of my brothers and sisters, your children.

Amen