"God Enjoyed"

Thou incomprehensible but prayer-hearing God,

Known, but beyond knowledge,

revealed, but unrevealed,

my wants and welfare draw me to thee,

for thou hast never said, ‘Seek ye me in vain’.

To thee I come in my difficulties, necessities, distresses;

possess me with thyself,

with a spirit of grace and supplication,

with a prayerful attitude of mind,

with access into warmth of fellowship,

so that in the ordinary concerns of life

my thoughts and desires may rise to thee,

and in habitual devotion I may find a resource that will

soothe my sorrows, sanctify my successes,

and qualify me in all ways for dealings with my fellow men.

I bless thee that thou hast made me capable

of knowing thee, the author of all being,

of resembling thee, the perfection of all excellency,

of enjoying thee, the source of all happiness.

O God, attend me in every part of my arduous and trying pilgrimage;

I need the same counsel, defence, comfort I found at my beginning.

Let my religion be more obvious to my conscience,

more perceptible to those around.

While Jesus is representing me in heaven, may I reflect him on earth,

While he pleads my cause, may I show forth his praise.

Continue the gentleness of thy goodness towards me,

And whether I wake or sleep, let thy presence go with me,

thy blessing attend me.

Thou hast led me on and I have found thy promises true,

I have been sorrowful, but thou hast been my help,

fearful, but thou hast delivered me,

despairing, but thou hast lifted me up.

Thy vows are ever upon me,

And I praise thee, O God.

-Taken from Valley of Vision

"Divine Mercies" - A prayer for the year's end!

THOU ETERNAL GOD,

Thine is surpassing greatness, unspeakable goodness,

super-abundant grace;

I can as soon count the sands of ocean's 'lip' as number Thy favours

toward me;

I know but a part, but that part exceeds all praise.

I thank Thee for personal mercies,

measure of health, preservation of body,

comfort of house and home, sufficiency of food and clothing,

continuance of mental powers,

my family, their mutual help and support,

the delights of domestic harmony and peace,

the seats now filled that might have been vacant,

my country, church, Bible, faith.

But, O, how I mourn my sin, ingratitude, vileness,

the days that add to my guilt,

the scenes that witness my offending tongue;

All things in heaven, earth, around, within, without, condemn me-

the sunwhich sees my misdeeds,

the darknss which is light to thee,

the cruel accuser who justly charges me,

the good angels who have been provoked to leave me,

Thy countenance which scans my secret sins,

Thy righteous law, Thy holy Word,

my sin-soiled conscience, my private and public life,

my neighbours, myself-

all write dark things against me.

I deny them not, frame no excuse , but confess, 'Father, I have sinned'.

Yet still I live, and fly repenting to Thy outstretched arms;

Thou wilt not cast me off, for Jesus brings me near,

Thou wilt not condemn me, for He died in my stead,

Thou wilt not mark my mountains of sin, for He leveled all,

and His beauty covers my deformities.

O my God, I bid farewell to sin by clinging to His cross,

hiding in His wounds, and sheltering in His side.

-Taken from "Valley of Vision"