A Book That Will Change Your Perspectives...

I made a new friend recently, Joel Limpic.  We met through a mutual friend while he was here in Denver doing some Worship Leading and sabbatical time.  I saw a FB post of his with this prayer:

All things are shadows, but thou art substance
All things are quicksands, but thou art mountain
All things are shifting, but thou art anchor
All things are ignorance, but thou art wisdom


These words grabbed my heart and began birthing a song.  While Joel was here, we arranged a meeting one day for a couple of hours and wrote, what I think, is a great meditative worship song around this verse.

The verse comes from a larger prayer written years ago by Puritans and is found in a book called The Valley of Vision, A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions.  I purchased the book and have been reading one prayer per day in the mornings.  I encourage you to do the same.  Not that we each cannot pray in our way, or need to be liturgical in our lives, but there is depth to the way these words are designed and written.  They speak in a way that drives me to a more transparent place.  Perhaps they would do that for you as well.  I offer an example below out of this book:


THE THRONE

O GOD OF MY DELIGHT,
Thy throne of grace is the pleasure ground of my soul.
Here I obtain mercy in time of need,
here see the smile of thy reconciled face,
here joy pleads the name of Jesus,
here I sharpen the sword of the Spirit,
anoint the shield of faith,
put on the helmet of salvation,
gather manna from thy Word,
am strengthened for each conflict,
nerved for the upward race,
empowered to conquer every foe;
Help me to come to Christ
as the fountain head of descending blessings,
as a wide open flood-gate of mercy.
I marvel at my insensate folly,
that with such enriching favors within my reach
I am slow to extend the hand to take them.
Have mercy upon my deadness for thy Name’s sake.
Quicken me, stir me, fill me with holy zeal.
Strengthen me that I may cling to thee and not let thee go.
May thy Spirit within me draw all blessings from thy hand.
When I advance not, I backslide.
Let me walk humbly because of good omitted and evil done.
Impress on my mind the shortness of time,
the work to be engaged in,
the account to be rendered,
the nearness of eternity,
the fearful sin of despising thy Spirit.
May I never forget that thy eye always sees,
thy ear always hears,
thy recording hand always writes.
May I never give thee rest until Christ is the pulse of my heart;
the spokesman of my lips,
the lamp of my feet.


Bennett, Arthur. The Valley of Vision A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions. East Peoria: Banner of Truth, 2009.