May I, as I draw closer to the end of my earthly life
Be a man who loves your church more than I ever have
A man who prays for your church and your leaders in the church
A man who shows his commitment to your bride in all that I do.
May I be a man of greater moral purity
So indwelled in your word and in prayer
That I am able to resist the temptations of my enemy
That my life shines as an example for you to the watching world.
May I be a man who loves others more as I, grows older
A man who is less judgmental and more giving of grace
A man who realizes that the Blank in my own eye in large
And that I should forgive even as you forgive me.
May my life have greater joy with each day
May I see the blessings of life and count them daily
May I not grow older and more bitter
But grow older rejoicing in you always.
As the day draws closer when I meet you face to face
May I be a man who was already drawing closer to you
A man who eagerly anticipated that day
And a man who left behind a legacy and not regrets.
May I live only to please and glorify you in all I do
Being guided by your spirit and word every step of the way
And then and only then
Can I say
That my life was not lived in vain.
May I grow more Christ like in character everyday
May I not drift nor sway from godly path and divine vision
May my life be a shining example of growing older but not colder
A blessed man by you and a blessing to all around.
Only your spiritual strength can keep me heavenly minded
Only your ministerial strength can help me to finish my course
Your financial strength will help me spend and be spent for you
And than, your physical strength will keep me healthy till the end.
“Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12-14, HcsB.)
Therefore, be careful how you spend and celebrate your Christian life.
By Rev. Gilbert Awajimijan
