Smeagol is Free!
A hermitudinal view of...stuff...


10.13.2004  

Prayer

My Father,



How keenly I feel my need for You. My sin is ever before me, and it is against You and You alone that I have sinned. Though my soul thirsts for You and my flesh yearns for You, it is because You have created me to desire You. Whom have I in heaven but You? Besides You, I desire nothing on earth. I say that together with the psalmist, but its ringing in my ears seems but hollow and cheap compared with the passion and heart-wrenching depserate delight that Asaph spoke it with. Still, I know that though my flesh and my heart may fail (and indeed they do!), You are the strength of my heart and my portion forever.



Father, how can I not cry out to You? What else do I have? I have nothing, nothing at all, if I have not You. You have told me to take up my cross and follow You, to die to myself that I might live to You. You have made Yourself known, You have given promises and hope beyond measure, You have done all to ensure that I will not be separated from Your love! Your mercies are new every morning! You cause Your face to shine upon me, upon this wretch who You would destroy in but a moment were I to enter Your holy presence without the righteous blood of Christ, Your Lamb, Your Chosen Servant, the Lion of Judah, the Victorious One, covering me and imputing upon me His righteousness. You have crucified me to the world and the world to me, that I might boast only in the cross of Christ. Who am I, that You should look upon me? You are the One who set the stars in their place, who commands the morning and upholds all with Your mighty hand. Yet you are pleased to have knit me in my mother's womb, to know intimately my frame, and You remember that I am but dust. Indeed, the same mighty hand that is strong enough to set the stars in the sky is tender enough to wipe away my every tear!



But it is not for my sake that You have done this, my Lord! It is for the sake of Your own word, and for the sake of Your own heart that you act in greatness! You made a covenant with Your people Israel, and You have bound up Your glory in the redemption of our wretched souls. Why would you do such a thing, Lord? Freely do You give this grace, this mysterious grace that is beyond the end of all praise! It is not for my sake that You have redeemed me, but for Your name's sake. And it is Your name, Your memory, that is the desire of my soul. You have torn me, my Lord, yet You have and will continue to heal me, that I might return to You with my whole heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning, rending my heart and not simply my garments. Indeed, Lord, You rend me still! Such discipline is the discipline of a father with his son; yet Your discipline, my Father, far surpasses that of any other. How can I not endure for the sake of such righteous discpline, which is for our good that we might share in Your holiness?



I am a sinner, my Lord. Though I was the one who ran away, You were the One who ran to embrace me when I returned. Though I ran from You, You bought me back at a great price, despising the shame, bearing my guilt and pain. You did this that I might freely know Your love, that I might be washed white and presented before You as holy and glorious, without blemish or any such thing. Though my heart was hardened as stone and my spirit was dead, You caused a tender heart of flesh and Your own Spirit to be placed within me, that I might live once more. Though I profaned the greatness of Your holy name, You have caused Your name to be vindicated in my heart and in my spirit! Why, Lord, why? Only You know, for Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and Your ways are higher than my ways!



Oh Daddy, I do believe; help my unbelief!

posted by Bolo | 9:40 PM
0 speakage
Free Hit
Counters
Dell Coupons
Daily
Read
Listen
Visualize
Blogging Buddies
Old School
Me
Bug Me
Yore
Factuality
Quotatious