LORD God,
I praise you.
You are my strength and my song.
Help me to discover new ways to praise you
because you are good.
Let my entire life reflect
the redemptive presence
of Jesus in me.
Amen.

— — — —

Now I rejoice
in what I am suffering for you,
and I fill up in my flesh
what is still lacking
in regard to Christ’s afflictions,
for the sake of his body,
which is the church.
I have become its servant
by the commission God gave me
to present to you the word of God
in its fullness—
the mystery that has been kept hidden
for ages and generations,
but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.
To them God has chosen to make known
among the Gentiles
the glorious riches of this mystery,
which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory.
(Colossians 1:24-27 NIV)*