Heavenly Father, God of all,

Thank you. Hallowed be Your Name.  May your Kingdom come, your will be done in all I think, say and do today. Great are you, Lord and greatly to be praised by all who believe and call on your holy name. 

Thank you for loving us so deeply and profoundly that you designed a plan to save us that was so perfect and perfectly laid out—from the beginning of creation.  You knew the time, place, and location.  You knew the humans you would have to work in, through and around.  You told the prophets to tell your people your plan with how it would be accomplished, with clues of who to look for, a Messiah, who would be sent to save us. Some listened. Some did not. 

Then you came, dear Jesus, born to a virgin who was devoted to you and your plan along with Joseph.  You knew they would be the best couple to accomplish this because of their love for you and for each other!

You grew as any Jewish boy would being the son of a carpenter who loved you; but you were also raised as the Son of God.  These are the thoughts that your earthly parents pondered.  You were perfect, the one without sin, the only one who could be the perfect Lamb without blemish sacrifice for our sins, indeed all the sins of the world.  You loved and taught others to follow you, seeking God first in all of life.  Then willingly and obediently you did exactly what you were sent to do.  You laid down your life for our life, taking the punishment we desire.

Yes, your love was demonstrated to the highest degree that day you gave your life to save all who believed then and all the lives to follow who would call on you and repent of sins.  You saved me.  With your act of obedience, I can now come to you freely, without a middleman priest to speak for me for you are the High Priest, dear Jesus, who died and rose again to give us entrance to heaven to the very throne of God!

Today is called Good Friday only for us because it was the day you suffered the greatest pain.  You had to suffer carrying the sins of the world to a cross and die a slow, excruciating death—after being mocked, beaten beyond recognition, and publicly humiliated!  The greater pain for you, Jesus was to lose communion with your Father until the debt of all our sins placed on your shoulders was paid in full by death.  We know, Father God, that you cannot be where sin is and that you turn your back on sin, not on us, but our sins that block us from you. 

But death did not win!  When you accomplished the mission, God resurrected you from death to life, scars and all!  Rising again, you gave all who believe our hope for eternal life—just like God said he would!

Jesus, you did indeed, paid it all.  All that was owed, all that is owed, and all that will be owed for generations to come.  I will contemplate these thoughts all day long as I go about my tasks in honor of all you have done for me—and for all who believe.

You are God, I am not.  What you did for me I cannot do for myself.  How you did it is beyond my thinking or imagining.  But why you did it brings me to my knees in deep gratitude.  Oh, how you love us. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you, Holy Spirit for leading me once again to the Truth of life everlasting.

In the quiet of this first hour of the day, I praise you.  I love you, Lord with all my heart, mind, and soul.  I think of all the other people you have put in my life along my journey here to love and I give thanks for them. I also think of all the people who have mocked, slandered, and were a challenge to me in life as I lived for you.  “Forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” is what you prayed for your enemies.  I will do the same as I repent of my own sins in your Name.

Thank you for saving me from a life that has no meaning without you. Thank you for daily filling me with the power of Your Holy Spirit.  Thank you for taking time to daily cleanse my heart, renew my mind, transform my behavior, refresh my soul with your new mercies, and restore the joy and peace of you in me and me in you.  Thank you for your loving care and correction with provision and protection. 

Thank you for being with us always.  We call on Your Name, and you always respond with help, wisdom and assurance.

There is no one like you, God of all creation. 

Thank you, Jesus. 

Thank you, Holy Spirit.

To you, Holy God, be the glory, honor, and praise always and forever!

In Jesus Name, Amen