Do you have any habits or routines with which you start the day? Do you grab some coffee and catch up on the news? Do you brush your teeth and take a shower? Do you read your Bible and say a little prayer as you get up and get moving?

Well, I’d imagine that most of us have at least a few practices that help us get on track as we move into the day ahead. And in today’s word from Psalm 25, we get reminded about one very simple practice, which—if we did it sincerely—might make a big difference in how our days turn out.

Now, it’s interesting that the first verse of Psalm 25 gets translated in various ways. Some of the more “formal” versions say, “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul,” (ESV, NASB, NKJV), while the New International Version—which I normally use—says, “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.” But today, I’m taken by the New Living Translation, which reads, “O Lord, I give my life to you.”

And when you stop and think about it, isn’t that really what all these different versions are saying? It’s not just that we’re engaging in a time of prayer. And we’re not just telling God that we think He’s worthy of trust. No, because we can approach Him—and because we trust Him—we’re laying our lives at His feet and offering ourselves to be instruments of His purpose—in our families…in our workplaces…in our world…and in our own lives.

And if all of us did that at the start of each day—and really meant it—I can’t help but wonder if the Lord might use our offerings to bring a little more of His love, and grace, and hope to the people and situations that need it most.

So, will you begin today by saying, “O Lord, I give my life to you”? And then, will you be ready to be used by Him in the small but powerful ways that change the world? Amen.