John Stott’s Morning Prayer

John Stott, the well-known author and much-beloved former pastor of All Souls Church in London, begins eacy day with this prayer to each person in the Holy Trinity:

Good morning heavenly Father. Good morning Lord Jesus. Good morning Holy Spirit. Father I pray that I may live this day in Your presence and please You more and more. Lord Jesus I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow You. Holy Spirit I pray that this day You will fill me with Yourself and cause Your fruit to ripen in my life, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, three Persons in one God, have mercy upon me, Amen.

I love that prayer because in just a few words, it expresses our need to be filled with the fulness of who God is.

We need the Father.
We need the Son.
We need the Holy Spirit.

I commend this simple prayer to you as an excellent way to begin the day. (HT to John Armstrong.)