Saturday, July 10, 2010

Christ is All

Here's a prayer titled "Christ is All" from "Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions" edited by Arthur Bennett (pages 32-33):

O LOVER TO THE UTTERMOST,

May I read the meltings of thy heart to me
in the manger of thy birth
in the garden of thy agony,
in the cross of thy suffering,
in the tomb of thy resurrerction,
in the heaven of thy intercession.

Bold in this thought I defy my adversary,
tread down his temptations,
resist his schemings,
renounce the world,
am valiant for truth.

Deepen in me a sense of my holy relationship
to thee,
as spiritual Bridegrooom,
as Jehovah's Fellow,
as sinners' Friend.

I think of thy glory and my vileness,
thy majesty and my meanness,
thy beauty and my deformity,
thy purity and my filth,
thy righteousness and my iniquity.

Thou has loved me everlastingly, unchangeably,
my I love thee as I am loved;

Thou has given thyself for me,
may I give myself to thee;

Thou hast died for me,
may I live to thee,
in every moment of my time,
in every movement of my mind,
in every pulse of my heart.

May I never dally with the world
and its allurements,
but walk by thy side,
listen to thy voice,
be clothed with thy graces,
and adorned with thy righteousness.

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