I want less.

Yes, less.

I want to scrape away anything that hangs like barnacles on my faith, covering up the simplicity of knowing Jesus and being known by Him, and to rediscover my relationship with Jesus.

Because, as much as I love ministry, I love Jesus more. As much as I love my church, and the tenants of my faith, there is a place where believers can know Jesus beyond the trappings of our faith, and that intimacy changes us.

So today, let’s go back. To that place where there is less. 

Let’s remember with deep gratitude who Jesus is, and what He has done for us.

Let’s lift up our hands in praise, and in our journals or with our mouths or in our hearts, begin to praise Him for what led us to Him in the first place.

Let’s remember why we call ourselves a believer.

Charles Spurgeon once said:

How much owest thou unto my Lord? Has he ever done anything for thee? Has he forgiven thy sins? Has he covered thee with a robe of righteousness? Has he set thy feet upon a rock? Has he established thy goings? Has he prepared heaven for thee? Has he prepared thee for heaven? Has he written thy name in his book of life? Has he given thee countless blessings? Has he laid up for thee a store of mercies, which eye hath not seen nor ear heard?

Today, this is my prayer of deep gratitude.

It’s a starting place. A place where I can sit in my quiet place, with my Bible at my side, and my journal nearby, with tears running down as I recount who Jesus is with an offering of praise.

Oh, Father, thank you for bearing the weight of my sins. Thank you for mercy. Thank you for setting my feet upon a path that a broken, insecure teenager could never even imagine. Thank you for eternity, which overshadows the heartaches of loss and pain. Thank you for my name written by Your hand in the book of life. Thank you for my family. Thank you for the breath that I draw. Thank you for this day, and all that it holds, for whether that is good or hard or bad or delightful, the unchanging factor of this day is that I walk with You through it.

What is your prayer of gratitude today?

Will you share it with us? May we praise God together today?