Devotionals: The Valley of Vision

My God, I bless thee that thou hast given me the eye       of faith,   to see thee as Father,   to know thee as a covenant God,   to experience thy love planted in me; For faith is the grace of union   by which I spell out my entitlement to thee: Faith casts my anchor upwards   where […]

HEAVENLY FATHER Thou hast revealed to me myself       as a mass of sin,   and thyself as the fullness of goodness,     with strength enough to succour me,     wisdom enough to guide me,     mercy enough to quicken me,     love enough to satisfy me. Thou hast shown me that because thou art mine     I can live by thy […]

O LORD OF GRACE, The world is before me this day,         and I am weak and fearful,   but I look to thee for strength; If I venture forth alone I stumble and fall,   but on the Beloved’s arms I am firm     as the eternal hills; If left to the treachery of my heart     I shall […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

LORD JESUS, Give me to love thee, to embrace thee,       though I once took lust and sin in my arms.       Thou didst love me before I loved thee,   an enemy, a sinner, a loathsome worm. Thou didst own me when I disclaimed myself; Thou dost love me as a son,   and weep over me as […]

MY DEAR LORD I depend wholly upon thee,     wean me from all other dependences. Thou art my all, thou dost overrule all     and delight in me. Thou art the foundation of goodness,   how can I distrust thee?   how be anxious about what happens to me? In the light of thy preciousness   the world and all […]

GRACIOUS GOD, My heart praises thee for the wonder         of thy love in Jesus; He is heaven’s darling, but is for me   the incarnate, despised, rejected,   crucified sin-bearer; In him thy grace has almost out-graced itself, In him thy love to rebels has reached its height; O to love thee with a love like this! […]

GREAT GOD, In public and private, in sanctuary and home,     may my life be steeped in prayer,   filled with the spirit of grace and supplication,   each prayer perfumed with the incense     of atoning blood. Help me, defend me, until from praying ground I pass to the realm of unceasing praise. Urged by my need,   invited […]

O LORD GOD, Teach me to know that grace precedes,       accompanies, and follows my salvation,   that it sustains the redeemed soul,   that not one link of its chain can ever break. From Calvary’s cross wave upon wave of grace   reaches me,   deals with my sin,   washes me clean,   renews my heart,   strengthens my will,   draws […]