Mercy Prayer

I have no resume
to hold before You,
no track record of accomplishments,
no letters of commendation,
no rights of birth or ethnicity.
I hold nothing
that would place You in my debt,
nothing
that could curry Your favor,
nothing
that would obligate You.
I wish unbridled zeal
would commend me to You.
I wish unbroken obedience
would draw Your attention.
I wish model wisdom and model love
would convince You that I'm worthy.
But I have none of these things
to offer You.
I stand before You with shoulders bent
and hands that are empty.
I approach You with no
argument in my mind
or no words to offer in my defense.
I stand before You
naked and undeserving,
broken and weak.
I am quite aware of the
duplicity of my heart,
the evil of my choices,
and the failure of my behavior,
but I am not afraid
because I stand before You
with one argument,
with one plea.
This argument is enough.
This plea is sufficient.
This argument is the only thing
that could ever give me
courage,
rest,
and sturdy hope.
So I come before You
with this plea:
Your mercy.
Your mercy is my rest.
Your mercy is my hope.
Your mercy makes me bold.
Your mercy is all I need.
Your mercy
tells me You will hear.
Your mercy
tells me You will act.
Your mercy
tells me You will forgive.
Your mercy
tells me You will restore.
Your mercy
tells me You will strengthen.
Your mercy is my
welcome,
plea,
and rescue.
I rest in this one thing:
You are mercy
and
You will answer.

(Mercy Prayer by Paul David Tripp from A Shelter in the Time of Storm: Meditations on God and Trouble)