Valley of Vision: A Christian's Prayer

Blessed God,
Ten thousand snares are mine without and within,
   defend thou me;
When sloth and indolence seize me,
   give me views of heaven;
When sinners entice me,
   give me disrelish of their ways;
When sensual pleasures tempt me,
   purify and refine me;
When I desire worldly possessions,
   help me to be rich toward thee;
When the vanities of the world ensnare me,
   let me not plunge into new guilt and ruin.
May I remember the dignity of my spiritual release,
   never be too busy to attend to my soul,
   never be so engrossed with time
   that I neglect the things of eternity;
   thus may I not only live, but grow towards thee.
Form my mind to right notions of religion,
   that I may not judge of grace by wrong conceptions,
   nor measure my spiritual advances
   by the efforts of my natural being.
May I seek after an increase of divine love to thee,
   after unreserved resignation to thy will,
   after extensive benevolence to my fellow creatures,
   after patience and fortitude of soul,
   after a heavenly disposition
   after a concern that I may please thee in public and private.
Draw on my soul the lineaments of Christ,
   in every trace and feature of which thou wilt
   take delight, for I am thy workmanship,
   created in Christ Jesus,
   thy letter written with the Holy Spirit’s pen,
   thy tilled soil ready for the sowing, then harvest.

From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

Grace That Saves and Sanctifies

O LORD GOD,
Teach me to know that grace precedes, accompanies, and follows my salvation,
     that it sustains the redeemed soul,
     that not one link of its chain can ever break!
From Calvary's cross, wave upon wave of grace reaches me,
     deals with my sin,
     washes me clean,
     renews my heart,
     strengthens my will,
     draws out my affection,
     kindles a flame in my soul,
     rules throughout my inner man,
     consecrates my every thought, word, work,
     teaches me Your immeasurable love.

From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

A Prayer for Year's End

        
               YEAR'S END

O LOVE BEYOND COMPARE,
Thou art good when thou givest,
     when thou takest away,
     when the sun shines upon me,
     when night gathers over me.
     Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world,
     and in love didst redeem my soul;
Thou dost love me still,
     in spite of my hard heart, ingratitude, distrust.
Thy goodness has been with me another year,
     leading me through a twisting wilderness,
     in retreat helping me to advance,
     when beaten back making sure headway.
Thy goodness will be with me in the year ahead;
I hoist sail and draw up anchor,
With thee as the blessed Pilot of my future as of my past.
I bless thee that thou hast veiled my eyes to the waters ahead.
If thou hast appointed storms of tribulation,
     thou wilt be with me in them;
If I have to pass through tempests of persecution and temptation,
     I shall not drown;
If I am to die,
     I shall see thy face the sooner;
If a painful end is to be my lot,
     grant me grace that my faith fail not;
If I am to be cast aside from the service I love,
     I can make no stipulation;
Only glorify thyself in me whether in comfort or trial,
     as a chosen vessel meet always for thy use.

From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions.

Valley of Vision: Our Heart's Desire

I hasten towards an hour
     when earthly pursuits and possessions will appear vain,
     when it will be indifferent whether I have been rich or poor,
     successful or disappointed, admired or despised,
But it will be of eternal moment that I have
mourned for sin,
     hungered and thirsted after righteousness,
     loved the Lord Jesus in sincerity,
     gloried in his cross.
May these objects engross my chief solicitude!

From Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

Valley of Vision: Contentment

Sanctify me in every relation, office, transaction and condition of life,
     that if I prosper I may not be unduly exalted,
     if I suffer I may not be over-sorrowful.
Balance my mind in all varying circumstances
     and help me to cultivate a disposition
     that renders every duty a spiritual privilege.
Thus may I be content, be a glory to thee
     and an example to others.

Valley of Vision, 139.

Valley of Vision: What Beauty Captures Your Gaze?

Recently, I've been working my way through Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions.  I don't think I can put into words precisely what a blessing these prayers have been to my soul. In an age where so many of us never really learned how to pray, and the rest of us seem to have forgotten, these prayers, full of Christ and full of grace, serve as a helpful tutor.  This morning's prayer, for example, concluded with the following set of petitions:

     Grant me never to lose sight of
          the exceeding sinfulness of sin,
          the exceeding righteousness of salvation,
          the exceeding glory of Christ,
          the exceeding beauty of holiness,
          the exceeding wonder of grace.

May this indeed be our prayer.  Instead of focusing on life's many distractions, may these be the things that captivate us!

Jesus, My All-in-All

"Teach me that Christ cannot be the way if I am the end,
     that he cannot be redeemer if I am my own saviour,
     that there can be no true union with him while the creature has my heart,
     that faith accepts him as redeemer and Lord or not at all."

Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, p. 170.