Devotionals: The Valley of Vision

SOVEREIGN GOD, Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart,       and I appeal to thee with greatest freedom   to set up thy kingdom in every place     where Satan reigns; Glorify thyself and I shall rejoice,   for to bring honour to thy name is my sole desire. I adore thee that thou art God,   and long […]

FATHER OF MERCIES, Hear me for Jesus’ sake.       I am sinful even in my closest walk         with thee;   it is of thy mercy I died not long ago; Thy grace has given me faith in the cross   by which thou hast reconciled thyself to me     and me to thee,   drawing me by thy great love, […]

O LORD, Help me never to expect any happiness       from the world, but only in thee. Let me not think that I shall be more happy     by living to myself,   for I can only be happy if employed for thee,   and if I desire to live in this world   only to do and suffer what […]

O GOD, May thy Spirit speak in me that I may       speak to thee. I have no merit, let the merit of Jesus stand for me. I am undeserving, but I look to thy tender mercy. I am full of infirmities, wants, sin;   thou art full of grace. I confess my sin, my frequent sin, […]

O MY LORD, May I arrive where means of grace cease         and I need no more to fast, pray,     weep, watch,     be tempted, attend preaching and sacrament;   where nothing defiles,   where is no grief, sorrow, sin, death,       separation, tears, pale face, languid body,       aching joints, feeble infancy, decrepit age,       peccant humours, pining sickness,       griping fears, […]

SOVEREIGN LORD, When clouds of darkness, atheism, and unbelief come to me, I see thy purpose of love in withdrawing the Spirit that I might prize him more, in chastening me for my confidence in past successes, that my wound of secret godlessness might be cured. Help me to humble myself before thee by seeing […]

MIGHTY GOD, I humble myself for faculties misused,     opportunities neglected,     words ill-advised, I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways,   my broken resolutions, untrue service,   my backsliding steps,   my vain thoughts. O bury my sins in the ocean of Jesus’ blood   and let no evil result from my fretful temper,     unseemly behaviour, provoking pettiness. If […]

O LORD, In prayer I launch far out into the eternal world,     and on that broad ocean my soul triumphs     over all evils on the shores of mortality. Time, with its gay amusements and cruel   disappointments, never appears so inconsiderate     as then. In prayer I see myself as nothing;   I find my heart going after […]

O LORD GOD, Thou hast commanded me to believe in Jesus;       and I would flee to no other refuge,   wash in no other fountain,   build on no other foundation,   receive from no other fullness,   rest in no other relief. His water and blood were not severed   in their flow at the cross,   may they never […]

O CHRIST, All thy ways of mercy tend to and end in       my delight. Thou didst weep, sorrow, suffer that I might rejoice. For my joy thou hast sent the Comforter,   multiplied thy promises,   shown me my future happiness,   given me a living fountain. Thou art preparing joy for me and me for joy; I […]

JEHOVAH GOD, Thou Creator, Upholder, Proprietor of all       things, I cannot escape from thy presence or control,   nor do I desire to do so. My privilege is to be under the agency of   omnipotence, righteousness, wisdom,   patience, mercy, grace. Thou art love with more than parental affection; I admire thy heart, adore thy wisdom,   stand […]

THOU INCOMPREHENSIBLE BUT PRAYER-HEARING GOD, Known, but beyond knowledge,         revealed, but unrevealed,         my wants and welfare draw me to thee,   for thou hast never said, ‘Seek ye me in vain’. To thee I come in my difficulties, necessities,     distresses;   possess me with thyself,     with a spirit of grace and supplication,     with a prayerful attitude of […]

O GOD OF THE OPEN EAR, Teach me to live by prayer       as well as by providence,   for myself, soul, body, children, family, church; Give me a heart frameable to thy will;   so might I live in prayer,   and honour thee,   being kept from evil, known and unknown. Help me to see the sin that […]

O GOD, Praise waiteth for thee,       and to render it is my noblest exercise; This is thy due from all thy creatures,   for all thy works display thy attributes     and fulfil thy designs; The sea, dry land, winter cold, summer heat,   morning light, evening shade are full of thee,   and thou givest me them richly […]

O SAVIOUR OF SINNERS, Thy name is excellent,       thy glory high,       thy compassions unfailing,       thy condescension wonderful,       thy mercy tender. I bless thee for the discoveries, invitations,     promises of the gospel   for in them is pardon for rebels,     liberty for captives,     health for the sick,     salvation for the lost. I come to thee in thy […]

O GOD WHOSE WILL CONQUERS ALL, There is no comfort in anything apart from       enjoying thee   and being engaged in thy service; Thou art All in all, and all enjoyments are what   to me thou makest them, and no more. I am well pleased with thy will, whatever it is,   or should be in all […]

MY DEAR LORD, I can but tell thee that thou knowest     I long for nothing but thyself,     nothing but holiness,     nothing but union with thy will. Thou hast given me these desires,   and thou alone canst give me the thing desired. My soul longs for communion with thee,   for mortification of indwelling corruption,     especially spiritual […]

O LORD GOD, WHO INHABITEST ETERNITY, The heavens declare thy glory,       The earth thy riches, The universe is thy temple; Thy presence fills immensity, Yet thou hast of thy pleasure created life,   and communicated happiness; Thou hast made me what I am, and given me   what I have; In thee I live and move and […]

GOD OF THE PASSING HOUR, Another week has gone and I have been           preserved         in my going out,         in my coming in. Thine has been the vigilance that has turned     threatened evils aside; Thine the supplies that have nourished me; Thine the comforts that have indulged me; Thine the relations and friends that have     delighted […]

O LORD, The world is artful to entrap,       approaches in fascinating guise,       extends many a gilded bait,       presents many a charming face. Let my faith scan every painted bauble,   and escape every bewitching snare   in a victory that overcomes all things. In my duties give me firmness, energy, zeal,     devotion to thy cause,     courage in […]

O LORD GOD, Thou art our Preserver, Governor, Saviour,         and coming Judge. Quieten our souls to call upon thy name; Detach us from the influence of the flesh     and the senses; Impress us with the power of faith; Promote in us spirituality of mind   that will render our services acceptable to thee,   and delightful and […]

CREATOR, UPHOLDER AND PROPRIETOR OF ALL THINGS, We cannot escape from thy presence         and control,     nor do we desire to do so. Our privilege is to be under the agency     of thy omnipotence,   righteousness, wisdom, patience, mercy and grace; For thou art Love with more than parental affection. We admire thy goodness,   stand in awe […]

O GOD, We bless thee,         our Creator, Preserver, Benefactor, Teacher,   for opening to us the volume of nature     where we may read and consider thy works. Thou hast this day spread before us the fuller pages     of revelation,   and in them we see what thou wouldest     have us do,   what thou requirest of us,   what […]

O LORD, We commune with thee every day,         but week days are worldly days,   and secular concerns reduce heavenly impressions. We bless thee therefore for the day sacred     to our souls   when we can wait upon thee and be refreshed; We thank thee for the institutions of religion   by use of which we draw near […]

KING OF GLORY, DIVINE MAJESTY, Every perfection adorns thy nature       and sustains thy throne; The heavens and earth are thine, The world is thine and its fullness. Thy power created the universe from nothing; Thy wisdom has managed all its multiple concerns,   presiding over nations, families, individuals. Thy goodness is boundless;   all creatures wait on […]