I was struck by the following prayer this week, found in a simple book of compiled Puritan prayers, The Valley of Vision (which I highly recommend in aiding to warm your own heart in prayer). This particular prayer is full of Gospel-centered practical theology strained through the heart and life of a Christian that lived around 500 years ago as evidenced by the “thy’s” and “thou’s” (don’t let that dissuade you!). Despite its age, it is just as practical and true today as it was then. Times and cultures change but people never do whether they’re riding a camel or driving a Hummer. I encourage you to read, pray and consider.where do you seek your comfort and contentment? Your answer will be indicative of what you worship.

Our emotions are a wonderful barometer of our greatest affections, bubbling up from the deepest recesses of our soul. God often allows us to experience frustration, hardship and disappointment – even joy, success and blessing – to bring our sin to light by revealing what’s going on deep inside of us through every day situations and circumstances. We can surrender to the fact that life often sucks and does not go as planned and end in despair, frustration and discouragement. We can work hard to create a managed life that maximizes comfort and a sense of control, fostering self-reliance, independence and ultimately pride. Or, daily fly to Jesus who calls us to not base our worth, happiness, identity, fulfillment, and joy in our circumstances (whether good or bad) but in a person – Jesus Christ. That is what is so amazing about the Gospel, not simply what God has done for us (which is infinitely amazing), but what he gives us – himself – and that’s all we’ll ever need.

Heavenly Father
If I should suffer need, and go unclothed,
And be in poverty,
Make my heart prize thy love,
Know it, be constrained by it,
Though I be denied all blessings.
It is thy mercy to afflict and try me with wants,
For by these trials I see my sins,
And desire severance from them.
Let me willingly accept misery, sorrows,
Temptations,
If I can thereby feel sin as the greatest evil,
And be delivered from it with gratitude to thee,
Acknowledging this as the highest testimony
Of thy love.
When thy Son, Jesus, came into my soul
Instead of sin, he became more dear to me
Than sin had formerly been;
His kindly rule replaced sin’s tyranny.
Teach me to believe that if ever I would have any sin
Subdued
I must not only labour to overcome it,
But must invite Christ to abide in the place of it,
And he must become to me more than
Vile lust had been;
That his sweetness, power, life may be there.
Thus I must seek a grace from him contrary to sin,
But must not claim it apart from himself.
When I am afraid of evils to come,
Comfort me by showing me
That in myself I am a dying, condemned wretch,
But in Christ I am reconciled and live;
That in myself I find insufficiency and no rest,
But in Christ there is satisfaction and peace;
That in myself I am feeble and unable to do good,
But in Christ I have ability to do all things.
Though now I have his graces in part,
I shall shortly have them perfectly
In that state where thou wilt show thyself
Fully reconciled,
And alone sufficient, efficient,
Loving me completely,
With sin abolished.
O Lord, hasten that day.

Amen and Amen.