Renewed

I've been praying through a lot of things recently and I so desire to be close to my loving Lord and Savior.   When things get busy and crazy, it's easy to lose sight of who God is and all that He's done for me.  His grace is sufficient, His power is made perfect in my weakness, and for that I am incredibly thankful.  I'm thankful that His mercies are new every single morning, that after a night of tears, He wakes me up to a new day, with new mercies.  He renews me day by day and gives me a new joy.

Today I was reading through the Valley of Vision - a Puritan prayer book that I got a couple of years ago.  The prayers speak so much truth, and are usually able to say the things that are on my heart, but I can't quite get out in words.

The one that I read this morning was perfect, it's called A Disciple's Renewal.  I want to share it because I think many people feel this way and don't know how to express it.  It put some things in perspective for me and reminded me of my fallen state, but of God's grace, which is sufficient for me.

O my Savior, 

Help me.

I am so slow to learn,

so prone to forget,

so weak to climb; 

I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights;

I am pained by my graceless heart, 

my prayerless days,

my poverty of love,

my sloth in the heavenly race,

my sullied conscience, 

my wasted hours,

my unspent opportunities.

I am blind while light shines around me:

take the scales from my eyes,

grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.

Make it my chifest joy to study thee, 

meditate on thee,

gaze on thee, 

sit like Mary at thy feet,

lean like John on thy breast,

apeal like Peter to thy love,

count like Paul all things rubbish.

Give me increase and progress in grace

so that there may be

more decision in my character,

more vigour in my purposes,

more elevation in my life, 

more fervour in my devotion,

more constancy in my zeal.

As I have a position in the world,

keep me from making the world my position; 

May I never seek in the creature 

what can be found only in the Creator;

Let not faith cease from seeking thee

until it vanishes into sight. 

Ride forth in me, thou King of kings

and Lord of lords,

that I may live victoriously, 

and in victory attain my end.