A Disciple’s Renewal

May 21, 2010


Yesterday Ron Thweatt reprinted a prayer called “A Disciple’s Renewal,” taken from Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers. Almost 20 years ago Skip Olson gave me a copy of the book, and though it became dog-eared and worn and the binding began to fall apart, I taped it up and still have my original copy.

If you’ve never bought a book of prayers, buy this one and try reading one prayer each day.

I was drawn to “A Disciple’s Renewal” because it perfectly describes the need of my own heart. If you want some hope at the end of a long week, read this prayer out loud and make it your own. 

O My Savior, help me.
I am so slow to learn, so prone to forget, so weak to climb;

I am in the foothills when I should be in the heights;
I am pained by my graceless heart,
my prayerless days,
my poverty of love,
my sloth in the heavenly race,
my sullied conscience,
my wasted hours,
my unspent opportunities.

I am blind while light shines around me:
take the scales from my eyes,
grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.

Make it my chiefest joy to study thee,
meditate on thee,
gaze on thee,
sit like Mary at thy feet,
lean like John on thy breast,
appeal like Peter to thy love,
count like Paul all things dung.

Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may be
more decision in my character,
more vigor in my purposes,
more elevation in my life,
more fervor in my devotion,
more constancy in my zeal.

As I have a position in the world,
keep me from making the world my position;

May I never seek in the creature what can be found only in the creator;

Let not faith cease from seeking thee until it vanishes into sight.

Ride forth in me, thou king of kings and lord of lords,
that I may live victoriously, and in victory attain my end. 

Do you have any thoughts or questions about this post?