Lord Jesus,
we sin. Grant that we may
never cease grieving because of it,
never be content with ourselves,
never think we can reach a point of perfection.
Kill our envy, command our tongues, trample down our pride.
Give us grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure, peaceable,
to live for You and not for ourselves,
to copy Your words, acts, spirit,
to be transformed into Your likeness,
to be consecrated wholly to You,
to live entirely to Your glory.
Deliver us from attachment to things unclean,
from wrong associations,
from the predominance of evil passions,
from the sugar of sin as well as its gall,
that with self-loathing, deep contrition, earnest heart searching
we may come to You, cast ourselves on You,
trust in You, cry to You,
be delivered by You.
O God, the Eternal All, help us to know that all
things are shadows, but You are substance,
all things are quicksands, but You are a mountain,
all things are shifting, but You are an anchor,
all things are ignorance, but You are wisdom.
If our lives are to be a crucible amid burning heat,
so be it,
but please sit at the furnace mouth
to watch the ore that nothing be lost.
If we sin wilfully, grievously, tormentedly,
in grace take away our mourning
and give us music;
remove our sackcloth
and clothe us with beauty;
still our sighs
and fill our mouths with song,
then give us summer weather as Christians.
Amen.
Adapted from The Valley of Vision. Published by Banner of Truth.