Monday, September 29, 2008

Chariot without Wheels


I have long used the prayers from the book, Valley of Vision to a aid me in my own prayer and devotional life. This prayer hit me like I had never read it before - but I know I have. Pray if with me and for me.

O Lord of grace, 
I have been hasty and short in private prayer, 
    O quicken my conscience to feel this folly, 
    to bewail this ingratitude; 
My first sin of the day leads into others, 
    and it is just that thou shouldst withdraw 
    thy presence 
    from one who waited carelessly on thee. 
Keep me at all times from robbing thee, 
    and from depriving my soul of thy due worship; 
Let me never forget 
    that I have an eternal duty to love, honour 
    and obey thee, 
    that thou art infinitely worthy of such; 
    that if I fail to glorify thee 
I am guilty of infinite evil that merits infinite punishment, 
    for sin is the violation of an infinite obligation. 
O forgive me if I have dishonoured thee, 
Melt my heart, heal my backslidings, 
    and open an intercourse of love. 
When the fire of thy compassion warms my 
    inward man, 
and the outpourings of thy Spirit fill my soul, 
    then I feelingly wonder at my own depravity, 
    and deeply abhor myself; 
    then thy grace is a powerful incentive 
    to repentance, 
    and an irresistible motive to inward holiness. 
May I never forget that thou hast my heart 
    in thy hands. 
Apply to it the merits of Christ's atoning blood 
    whenever I sin. 
Let thy mercies draw me to thyself. 
Wean me from all evil, mortify me to the world, 
    and make me ready for my departure hence 
    animated by the humiliations of penitential love. 
My soul is often a chariot without wheels, 
    clogged and hindered in sin's miry clay; 
Mount it on eagle's wings 
    and cause it to soar upward to thyself.

1 comment:

Lynn Cross said...

I love the metaphor, "a chariot without wheels." I too am often clogged in sin, and thankfully, joyfully I know the one that does mount us on eagle's wings. Love, Lynn