Quality Control

II Timothy 2:20-21 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.

II Timothy 4:1-5  I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom:2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

Dear God,

Thank You for Your passion for quality control in the ministers You call to preach Your Gospel.  Paul had a passion for quality in Timothy.  You have a passion for quality in me, and in every other servant You call to proclaim Your Gospel and serve Your flock as an under shepherd.

So, I pray Your Word into my life.  I pray that Paul's challenge to Timothy might be brought to fruitful service in me.  I shun mediocrity in exchange for Your rugged call to sanctification.  Your splendor and Your holiness are worthy of Your recreation of Your very best in me.  I surrender the conventionality of being average that I may be a vessel of honor to You. I hunger to be Your precious vessel to pour out Your life-giving message to the thirsty, and to serve the platter of the meat of Your Gospel to the hungry. 

Vessels of honor must be refined, hammered, shaped, and polished if they are to be excellent.  Grant me grace to endure Your cross, die to self, be filled with Your Spirit, and bear Your cross in the life of holiness.  Help me to choose patience when affliction purges secret and unseen places within my character.  Sanctify my vessel as a vessel of honor to You.  Help me to be as passionate to be Your vessel of honor as You are to make me one.

Embolden me with courage to preach Your Word with Holy Spirit anointing, passion, winsomeness, and fidelity to Your revelation of Yourself in Holy Scripture.  Strengthen me to endure criticism, persecution, and suffering with bravery, poise, and distinction in Your sight.  Keep a tight rein on my thoughts, my words, and my attitudes.  Work the qualitative beauty of Your holiness in me for Your glory.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who work Your virtue in me,
Amen.