Live Grace — Invite God In

by Lydia Floren

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelations 3:20 NASB

At some point in your life, God knocks on your door, and you recognize that knock. You realize that He is real, and that He loves you, and that you need Him.

You have two choices:

1. Keep Him out. You can choose to keep the door to your heart shut tight. He will respect that choice. He is a gentleman. He won’t force Himself on you, no matter how self-destructive your decision might be.
2. Let Him in. You can choose to open the door to your heart. Maybe the reality of your need–and of God’s presence—has eclipsed your hesitation, and you decide to open your life to Him. Here is a way to do that:

Open the door by praying GRACE:

Invite God in.   GRACE:  Give thanks, Release, Accept, Continue, and Enjoy.

Give thanks:
Thank You, God, that You are real, and good, and powerful, and loving,
Thank You for giving me life, and the ability to make my own choices.
Thank You that You are committed to loving me, and every other person You have created, whether I choose to accept or reject that love.
Thank You for helping me see that I need You. That I can never make myself perfect. Thank You for showing me my sins, not so that I can beat myself up about them, but so that You can free me of them.
Thank You providing a way to make things right with You, by sending Your son Jesus, and allowing Him to die so that we could be free of shame.

Father thank You that You are real, and that You love me.
I choose to invite You into my life right now.

Release:
Thank You for releasing me from guilt.
Thank You that You know every wrong thing I have thought or said or done, and that You have loved me through it all.
Thank You that You have made provision for those wrongs through Jesus’ blood sacrifice.
Thank You that Your forgiveness is complete: You wipe everything away.

I choose to release my sins to You.

Accept
Thank You for accepting me just like I am–right where I am–and loving me.
Thank You for accepting me as Your child, and protecting me and caring for me.
Thank You for accepting the reality that, as much as I would like to think otherwise, there will be times in the future when I will wander away from You, and will need a fresh dose of Your grace.

I choose to accept Your love and forgiveness, which frees me from guilt and shame.

Continue
Thank You for Your continued presence, with me and within me, throughout the rest of my life.
Thank You for Your calling– to love You with all my heart, and to love myself, and to love my neighbor as myself.
Thank You that You will continue to guide me in fulfilling that calling, and redirect me if I head down the wrong path.

Father, I choose to continue, to follow You every day.

Enjoy
Thank You for enjoying me.
Thank You that You value my company.
Thank You that You love to give me good gifts, and that You scatter them throughout my day and life.
Thank You for inventing laughter, joy, love and relationships.
Thank You for the gift of hope: that I can welcome the day with anticipation, knowing You are working all things to good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.
Thank You that with You I need never be afraid.

Father, I choose to enjoy each day with a grateful heart.

Just so you understand: praying GRACE is not something you just do just once. It is something you do over and over again. And every time you pray GRACE, God refreshes your faith and restores your soul.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3