In Step with My Lord

Seek the Lord and HIs strength; seek His presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11

This is my prayer at each day's start:
As I step into the shower, You cleanse my heart. 
As I step into my towel, You wipe away each sin.  
As I step into my clothes, You clothe me with a grin.  
As I step up to the mirror, Your reflection's what I see. 
As I step into Your word, You show me how to be.  
As I step into the kitchen, You feed my soul.  
As I step into my car, You lead me where to go.  
As I step into my workplace, You teach me Your will. 
As I step into my home, You say, “Heart, be still.” 
As I step into my bed, You give me rest. 
As I stay in step with You, I am truly blessed!

Happy New Year! It’s a time to reflect on the year that has passed and anticipate what is to come. It’s a time for new beginnings. Self-improvement is usually high on one’s list of resolutions for the new year. For me, this year I want to be more present with God in my day-to-day. I want to be more intentional in seeking God throughout the day. (Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11)

As I step into the shower, You cleanse my heart. As I step into my towel, You wipe away each sin. I will start my day with a prayer of submission, asking God to keep me pure in heart in all I say do throughout the day and to forgive me for any sins from the day before. (Ezekiel 36:25-27 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws.) I will start each day with a clean slate! Isn’t it grand that God gives us that opportunity every single day?!

As I step into my clothes, You clothe me with a grin. I want to have a positve attitude each day. It’s easy to whine and complain about anything and everything. Instead, I want to be more intentional about focusing on the blessings God gives me every day. (Psalm 30:11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.) Whenever I start to complain, I will ask God to pivot my thoughts to what is good and right and praiseworthy.

As I step up to the mirror, Your reflection’s what I see. I will strive to be more like Jesus, so others see Him in me. Although we will fall short because we are human, when we seek Him with all our heart, He transforms us. (2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.) That daily transformation not only has an impact on our life, but in the lives around us.

As I step into Your word, You show me how to be. What can I do to to be more like Jesus? Look to the scriptures. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.) It’s not easy to admit our shortcomings and even harder to correct our ways. But with God, He makes that possible!

As I step into the kitchen, You feed my soul. Just as our body needs nourishment from food, so our souls need nourishment from God. Reading a daily devotional helps me start my day with a directive from God. (Psalm 119:103-104 How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore, I hate every wrong path.) Study the scriptures and live them out.

As I step into my car, You lead me where to go. There are so many temptations coming at us in every direction, and It’s easy to stray. I want to be more intentional in what I choose to do and say lining up with God’s Word. (Psalm 119:133 Direct my footsteps according to Your Word; let no sin rule over me.)

As I step into my workplace, You teach me Your will. The workplace is missionary grounds. We don’t need to preach the Word to spread it. (Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good—and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?) If we are walking in God’s will, our actions speak louder than words.

As I step into my home, You say, “Heart, be still.” After a long day, we can come home stressed out. Sometimes that stress spills out onto our loved ones. On your way home from work, destress by asking God to fill you with peace as you let go of the day’s frustrations. (Isaiah 32:18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.) Let your home be a safe haven of peace.

As I step into my bed, You give me rest. As I lay in bed at the end of the day, I thank Him for all His blessings and give Him all my concerns. (Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.) I am so grateful that God cares about even the smallest of my concerns and gives me peace of mind so I can sleep.

As I stay in step with You, I am truly blessed! It’s a lofty goal to stay in step with God every moment of the day. But even if we fall short, we will be blessed far more than we can even imagine! Be in step with the Lord, my friends!

Lord, help me to walk with You throughout each day. In the moments of joy and the moments of stress, may I seek You out in it all. Let my steps be in step with Yours. Amen