“Lord, Prepare Me…”

Over here at the Love Shack, I’m in full prep mode for next month’s Milly Camp (MC). That’s my version of a grandma camp for our five grandpeople. I hadn’t really planned for that this year as summer camps and vacations had eaten up any spare calendar space for the kids. But when a couple of the girls asked about MC 2026, a quick text to the mamas helped me to nail down the only available week left before the end of summer break.

So here I am. The “me” who is highly addicted to (over)planning is running wild. I’ve got a theme. I’ve got a schedule. I’ve got supplies. I just need to add my five favorite kids, and we’ll get this party started!

Milly Camp 2026 is adding a new component this year – worship music. We always start the day with “Bible first, Bible most,” but when MC opens the first week of August, we’re gonna sing! The kiddos have added their suggestions to the list, and I’ve printed song sheets so that we all have the words to unfamiliar songs in front of us.

As I typed up lyrics a couple of evenings ago, a classic (of course, one of my additions to the worship list 😊) took me back just a few years. Anyone recognize these words?

               “Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary,

               Pure and holy, tried and true.

               With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living

               Sanctuary for You.”

And now “Sanctuary” is in my brain – which is a good thing!

It reminds me that the moment I was saved, I was set apart for God’s purposes in His world. As Jesus prayed for believers in His final hours, He prayed for me. He proclaimed, “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” (John 17:16) On that day, I took on an eternal nature but was handed an earthly mission. I’m to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)

That personal spiritual growth empowered by the Holy Spirit is transforming my heart so that I care more and more about what Jesus cares about – people. “Sanctuary” is a simple prayer asking the Lord to bring about that heart change so that I become both a beacon of light to the lost and a haven of comfort for the hurting. Jesus tells His followers in Matthew 5:16 to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven.” As I myself have experienced the trials of life, I’ve known God’s comfort. Now I’ve been given the responsibility to use that experience to bless others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Ultimately, my heart overflows with gratitude for the privilege of serving my Savior and King. As Peter reminds me in 1 Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.”

Because of the grace of God, I am a living sanctuary. And I can’t wait to sing this song with our grands and help them learn that they’re living sanctuaries, too. Praying now that the Lord uses that simple, short, but rich song to become the prayer of all of our hearts. “Lord, prepare us to be a sanctuary.”