Monster

Give me an abhorrence of all evil,
as a vile monster that defies thy law, casts off thy yoke, defiles my nature, spreads misery.
May I discern the deadly viper in its real malignity [p100 Valley of Vision]

Dad, help!

yeah ... that's right

Happiness

O LORD,
Teach me that if I do not live a life that satisfies you,
I shall not live a life that will satisfy myself.

The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions, p 304

Lord Jesus, Great High Priest

Help me to contemplate
the dignity of thy Person
the perfectness of thy sacrifice
the effectiveness of thy intercession.


p214 The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Blessings abound

O what blessedness accompanies devotion, when under all the trials that weary me,
the cares that corrode me,
the fears that disturb me,
the infirmities that oppress me, I can come to thee in my need and feel peace beyond understanding!

(p214 The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions)

Another Lord's Day

We are going to the house of prayer,

pour upon us the spirit of grace and supplication;

We are going to the house of praise, 

awaken in us every grateful and cheerful emotion;

We are going to the house of instruction, 

give testimony to the Word preached,

and glorify it in the hearts of all who hear; 

may it enlighten the ignorant, awaken the careless,reclaim the wandering, establish the weak, comfort the feeble minded, make ready a people for their Lord. 

p387 The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Never never prayer

O LORD may I ...

never rely on my own convictions and resolutions,
but be strong in thee and in thy might;

never make piety a dress but a habit,
not only a habit but a nature
not only a nature but a life.
 
p116-117 The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions

Striding forth

O God of my Exodus, 
Great was the joy of Israel's sons, 
when Egypt died upon the shore,
Far greater the joy
when the Redeemer's foe lay crushed 
in the dust.
Jesus strides forth as the victor,
conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing might; 
He bursts the bands of death, 
tramples the powers of darkness down, 
and lives for ever. 
He, my gracious surety,
apprehended for payment of my debt, 
comes forth from the prison house of the grave
free, and triumphant over sin, Satan and death. 
Show me herein the proof that his vicarious offering is accepted,
that the claims of justice are satisfied,
that the devil's sceptre is shivered,
that his wrongful throne is levelled.
Give me the assurance that in Christ I died,
in him I rose,
in his life I live, in his victory I triumph,
in his ascension I shall be glorified.
Adorable Redeemer, 
who was lifted up upon a cross
and are ascended to highest heaven,
who as Man of Sorrows was crowned with thorns,
are now as Lord of life wreathed with glory. 
Once, no shame more deep than yours, no agony more bitter, no death more cruel. 
Now, no exaltation more high, no life more glorious, no advocate more effective.
You are in the triumph car leading captive your enemies behind you. What more could be done that you have done! 
Your death is my life, your resurrection my peace, your ascension my hope, your prayers my comfort. 
( The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions p86-87)

Let us pray

One of the distinctions between public and private prayer is that in public prayer we pray as a community for the community and for the concerns of the community. (p 175)

Strength in weakness

A prayer of St Patrick which I only was drawn to this week.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the Judgment Day.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me

From snares of demons,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

Picture this and let the monsters under your bed be scared!

Thanks to Stu for bringing to my attention this arresting sentence, which he says (and I agree) describes Jesus wonderfully:

a sheep-herding dragon-slayer,

the One who can put all the wild things under His feet.

I think he got it from here (an article well worth a read - especially if you have young boys!).
And it caught my eye especially today, as I had been reading a prayer in The Valley of Vision this morning:

O God of my Exodus,
Great was the joy of Israel's sons,
when Egypt died upon the shore,
Far greater the joy
when the Redeemer's foe lay crushed in the dust.
Great Jesus strides forth as the victor,
conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing might;
He bursts the bands of death,
tramples the powers of darkness down,
and lives forever.

The malady of maladies

Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper,
born in my birth,
alive in my life,
strong in my character,
dominating my faculties,
following me as a shadow,
intermingling with my every thought,
my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul.

Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light,
the air supply breath,
the earth bear my tread,
its fruits nourish me,
its creatures subserve my ends?

Yet thy compassions yearn over me,
thy heart hastens to my rescue,
thy love endured my curse,
thy mercy bore my deserved stripes.

(Valley of Vision p 75)

fellowship

O God the Holy Spirit,

That which I know not, teach me,

Keep me a humble disciple in the school of Christ, learning daily there what I am in myself, a fallen sinful creature, justly deserving everlasting destruction;

O let me never lose sight of my need of a Saviour or forget that apart from him I am nothing and can do nothing.

...

Lead me from faith to faith, that I may at all times have freedom to come to a reconciled Father, and may be able to maintain peace with him against doubts, fears, corruptions, temptations.

Your office is to teach me to draw near to Christ with a pure heart, steadfastly persuaded of his love, in the full assurance of faith.

Let me never falter in this way.

(p58-59)

Praise through pain

This is a wonderful wonderful CD.
Click on the image for details or here.

Here is a taste of track one.:

When You lead me to the valley of vision
I can see You in the heights

And though my humbling wouldn't be my decision
It's here Your glory shines so bright
So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley's where You make me more like Christ

Let me find Your grace in the valley
Let me find Your life in my death
Let me find Your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That You're near with every breath
In the valley

In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light
So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley's where Your power is revealed

How often do we, do I, need reminding of this!

Sweet Dreams

Getting in Under the radar!

What various hindrances we meet
In coming to a mercy seat;
Yet who that knows the worth of prayer,
But wishes to be often there.

Prayer makes the darkened cloud withdraw,
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw;
Gives exercise to faith and love,
Brings every blessing from above.

Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armor bright;
And Satan trembles, when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

While Moses stood with arms spread wide,
Success was found on Israel’s side;
But when through weariness they failed,
That moment Amalek prevailed.

Have you no words? Ah, think again,
Words flow apace when you complain;
And fill your fellow creature’s ear
With the sad tale of all your care.

Were half the breath thus vainly spent,
To Heav’n in supplication sent;
Your cheerful song would oft’ner be,
“Hear what the Lord has done for me.”

William Cowper (1731-1800)

The mightiest can fall ... and be raised too!

O Father of heaven!

O Son of God, Redeemer of the world!

O Holy Ghost, three persons all one God!

have mercy on me, most wretched caitiff and miserable sinner. I have offended both against heaven and earth, more than my tongue can express.

Whither then may I go, or whither may I flee? To heaven I may be ashamed to lift up mine eyes and in earth I find no place of refuge or succor.

To Thee, therefore, O Lord, do I run;
to Thee do I humble myself, saying,
O Lord, my God, my sins be great,
but yet have mercy upon me for Thy great mercy.

The great mystery that God became man, was not wrought for little or few offences.

Thou didst not give Thy Son, O Heavenly Father, unto death for small sins only, but for all the greatest sins of the world, so that the sinner return to Thee with his whole heart, as I do at present.

Wherefore, have mercy on me, O God, whose property is always to have mercy, have mercy upon me, O Lord, for Thy great mercy.

I crave nothing for my own merits, but for Thy name's sake, that it may be hallowed thereby, and for Thy dear Son, Jesus Christ's sake.

And now therefore,

O Father of Heaven,
hallowed be Thy name, etc.

[Thomas Cranmer, repenting of his denial of Christ before the 'congregation' in St Mary's Church, Oxford, on 21st March, 1556.
Not long after this he was burnt as a heretic near Balliol College]

p 248 Fox's Book of Martyrs

Valley of Vision

Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,

You have brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see You in the heights,
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Your glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter Your stars shine;
Let me find Your light in my darkness,
Your life in my death,
Your joy in my sorrow,
Your grace in my sin,
Your riches in my poverty,
Your glory in my valley.

(adapted from p xxiv)

Love that grows

O God, your main plan, and the goal of your will is to make Christ glorious and beloved in heaven where he is now ascended, where one day all the elect will behold his glory and love and glorify him forever.
Though here I love him but little, may this be my portion at last; in this world you have given me a start, may that one day be perfected in the realm above.

adapted from a prayer on p40 of The Valley of Vision