For today’s spiritual inspiration I decided to turn to the “Valley of Vision,” a book of Puritan poetry with selections that always show incredible insight. I particularly liked “Openness”:
Lord of immortality,
Before Whom angels now and archangels veil their faces,
enable me to serve Thee with reverence and godly fear.
Thou who art Spirit and requires truth in the inward parts,
Help me to worship Thee in spirit and in truth.
Thou who art righteous,
Let me not harbor sin in my heart,
or indulge a worldly temper,
or seek satisfaction in things that perish.
I hasten towards an hour
when earthly pursuits and possessions will appear vain,
when it will be indifferent whether I have been rich or poor,
successful or disappointed, admired or despised.
But it will be of eternal moment that I have
mourned for sin,
hungered and thirsted after righteousness,
loved the Lord Jesus in sincerity,
gloried in His cross.
May these objects engross my chief solicitude!
Produce in me those principles and dispositions
that make Thy service perfect freedom.
Expel from my mind all sinful fear and shame,
so that with firmness and courage I may
confess the Redeemer before men,
go forth with Him bearing His reproach,
be zealous with His wisdom,
walk with His circumspection,
ask counsel of Him in all things,
repair to the Scriptures for His orders,
stay my mind on His peace,
knowing that nothing can befall me
without His permission, appointment and administration.
(c) 2012 Joyously Saved
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