Lord, how can I glorify You today?
I find this simple, one-sentence prayer quite impactful. Woven in this prayer is the aspect of taking our eyes off ourselves and on to the One who matters the most. Also, there is intention; a purpose. A day is not wasted simply on trivial or mindless things. Any day and every day is worth living because we can use our time to glorify Jesus.
With each day that comes, there is always the temptation to see things as “same-old, same-old.” The exciting grand things in life don’t happen every day. In fact, when we analyze our days, we sense routine. There is work to go to or classes to attend. There is that usual trip to the grocery store and bank. There is church on Sunday. There are monthly bills that don’t stop. We are creatures of habit; creatures who like every hour to be comfortable. We want life to be easy.
Therefore, when we pray “Lord, how can I glorify You today?”, something in us should click with expectation. Suddenly, everything can have meaning. Suddenly, routine can have purpose. Suddenly every day can matter. Easy days won’t be our goal anymore. Glorifying Jesus would. Every bad day or tiring day or boring day or challenging day can twist around and become a good day. BUT the day will not be about us. The day will be about Jesus.
There ought to be a sense of wonder in us as children of the Most High. Each day can be unwrapped by us in a thrill common to Christmas. Each day has God’s fingerprint. Mathew 5:45 says, “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Have we ever seen the sun as a gift from God? How about the rain? Also, in Lamentations 3:22-23, it says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Each day brings to us the fresh gift of God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness.
No matter how routine, or how painful a particular day can be, it contains a gift of love from our Father in Heaven for us. We only need eyes to see His fingerprints in the minutes that we ride on. What we can do is to choose to be intentional with each day of our lives and be courageous enough to ask Him, “Lord, how can I glorify You today?”
This is the day the Lord has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24
Janina Marie Rivera is the Editor-in-Chief of One Voice Magazine, a teacher of world literature, and a student of the Bible. She enjoys reflecting on life’s curve balls and plateaus. She resides in the Philippines, the country known for people who smile a lot.
