Devotionals: The Valley of Vision

O MY LORD, Forgive me for serving thee in sinful ways —       by glorying in my own strength,       by forcing myself to minister through         necessity,     by accepting the applause of others,     by trusting in assumed grace       and spiritual affection,     by a faith that rests upon my hold on Christ,       not on him alone,     by having […]

O DIVINE REDEEMER, Great was thy goodness       in undertaking my redemption,       in consenting to be made sin for me,       in conquering all my foes; Great was thy strength   in enduring the extremities of divine wrath,   in taking away the load of my iniquities; Great was thy love   in manifesting thyself alive,   in showing thy sacred […]

HEAVENLY FATHER, Thou hast placed me in the church       which thy Son purchased by his own blood. Add grace to grace that I may live worthy     of my vocation. I am a voyager across life’s ocean; Safe in heaven’s ark, may I pass through     a troubled world   into the harbour of eternal rest. I am […]

O SPIRIT OF GOD, Help my infirmities;       When I am pressed down with a load     of sorrow,   perplexed and knowing not what to do,   slandered and persecuted,   made to feel the weight of the cross,     help me, I pray thee. If thou seest in me   any wrong thing encouraged,   any evil desire cherished,   any delight […]

O FOUNTAIN OF ALL GOOD, Destroy in me every lofty thought,       Break pride to pieces and scatter it     to the winds, Annihilate each clinging shred of     self-righteousness, Implant in me true lowliness of spirit, Abase me to self-loathing and self-abhorrence, Open in me a fount of penitential tears, Break me, then bind me up; Thus […]

THOU GREAT I AM, Fill my mind with elevation and grandeur at       the thought of a Being   with whom one day is as a thousand years,   and a thousand years as one day, A mighty God, who, amidst the lapse of worlds,   and the revolutions of empires,   feels no variableness,   but is glorious in immortality. […]

O GOD, I bless thee for the happy moment     when I first saw thy law fulfilled in Christ,   wrath appeased, death destroyed, sin forgiven,     my soul saved. Ever since, thou hast been faithful to me:   daily have I proved the power of Jesus’ blood,   daily have I known the strength of the Spirit,     my teacher, […]

O LORD MY LORD, This is thy day,       the heavenly ordinance of rest,     the open door of worship,     the record of Jesus’ resurrection,     the seal of the sabbath to come,     the day when saints militant and triumphant       unite in endless song. I bless thee for the throne of grace,   that here free favour reigns;   that […]

GOD OF ALL GOOD, I bless thee for the means of grace;     teach me to see in them thy loving purposes       and the joy and strength of my soul. Thou hast prepared for me a feast;   and though I am unworthy to sit down as guest,   I wholly rest on the merits of Jesus,   and […]

O FATHER OF JESUS, Help me to approach thee with deepest       reverence,   not with presumption,   not with servile fear, but with holy boldness. Thou art beyond the grasp of my understanding,   but not beyond that of my love. Thou knowest that I love thee supremely,   for thou art supremely adorable, good, perfect. My heart melts […]

EVERLASTING CREATOR-FATHER, I have destroyed myself,       my nature is defiled,       the powers of my soul are degraded;       I am vile, miserable, strengthless,       but my hope is in thee. If ever I am saved it will be by goodness     undeserved and astonishing,   not by mercy alone but by abundant mercy,   not by grace but by exceeding […]

LORD, Teach me the nature of a sacrament         as a seal and pledge of love,   that Christ is faithful to make himself     a present reality to his own who are guests       at his table. Assure me by it   that his Word is made good to my faith,   that he by sacramental union is given to […]

LORD JESUS, True God, everlasting Life,       Redeemer of sinners, I give my body, soul, intellect, will, affections     to thee. I call the day, sun,   earth, trees, stones,   wind, rain, frost, snow,   my home, bed, table, food,     books, drink, clothes,   to witness that I come to thee for rest of soul   from the thunders of guilt […]

O SUPREME MOVING CAUSE, May I always be subordinate to thee,         be dependent upon thee,   be found in the path where thou dost walk,     and where thy Spirit moves,   take heed of estrangement from thee,     of becoming insensible to thy love. Thou dost not move men like stones,   but dost endue them with life,   not […]

ALL-SEARCHING GOD, Thou readest the heart,       viewest principles and motives of actions,       seest more defilement in my duties     than I ever saw in any of my sins. The heavens are not clean in thy sight,   and thou chargest the angels with folly; I am ready to flee from myself because of     my abominations; Yet thou […]