Remove Me

Dear Jesus,
I am selfish.  I am un-trusting.  Therefore I try so hard to control my environment... and yes, even all the people in it.  I try to convince myself that there is good in my motive - but I am full of self-deceit.  Good does not come from me, it only comes from You.  I fill my time with things that interest only my flesh... I am selfish.  I am me-focused.

I want more of You, Jesus.  I need less of me... a whole lot less of me... and a LOT more of You!  Remove me from myself.

Take away my need for the world to approve of my voice.  Wipe away my struggle to understand all the reasons 'why' things happen they way they do... and worse to try and control them.  Help me to see that my input does not matter, but rather my response to Your Love.  Melt my heart so that I can feel more and more of Your Love and turn me into a reflection of that Love.

When I look in the mirror, let me see a new face.  When I open my eyes, let me look through Yours.

Remove me from myself and replace me with You.  Make me the person You designed me to be.

I pray that there is nothing left of me but what You've given me and that I follow Your lead in all that I do.  I pray that I am overcome with Your Love that I am transformed in how I relate with the world.  I pray that I not only greet people differently, but that I receive them differently... that I listen with ears of distinction, dignity, and respect rather than projecting my own human "vocabulary"  and "understanding" onto who they are and what they mean.  I pray I can listen with Love.

I am very defensive of my posture and position because I am afraid I am wrong... and if I am wrong I will be rejected.
I am wrong, Lord, but in You I have been made right, clean, and whole.  In You I am accepted.

Remove me from myself, help me to forgive myself as You have forgiven me. Help me to die my old ways to You so I can live again in You... let me be refreshed and rise again in You.

In You, Jesus, I am a new creature, by Your Blood I have been washed... In You God I know who I am - I am loved.