AMEN KAYAK AND AMEN ALL!
O Lord,
I live here as a fish in a vessel of water,
only enough to keep me alive,
but in heaven I shall swim in the ocean.
Here I have a little air in me to keep me breathing,
but there I shall have sweet and fresh gales;
Here I have a beam of sun to lighten my darkness,
a warm ray to keep me from freezing;
yonder I shall live in light and warmth for ever.
My natural desires are corrupt and misguided,
and it is thy mercy to destroy them;
My spiritual longings are of thy planting,
and thou wilt water and increase them;
Quicken my hunger and thirst after
the realm above.
Here I can have the world,
there I shall have thee in Christ;
Here is a life of longing and prayer,
there is assurance without suspicion,
asking without refusal;
Here are gross comforts, more burden
than benefit,
there is joy without sorrow,
comfort without suffering,
love without inconstancy,
rest without weariness.
Give me to know that heaven is all love,
where the eye affects the heart,
and the continual viewing of thy beauty
keeps the soul in continual transports
of delight.
Give me to know that heaven is all peace,
where error, pride, rebellion, passion
raise no head.
Give me to know that heaven is all joy,
the end of believing, fasting, praying,
mourning, humbling, watching,
fearing, repining;
And lead me to it soon.
A PURITANS PRAYER
"God, even our own God."
- Psalm 67:6
It is strange how little use we make of the spiritual blessings which God
gives us, but it is stranger still how little use we make of God himself.
Though he is "our own God," we apply ourselves but little to him, and ask
but little of him. How seldom do we ask counsel at the hands of the Lord!
How often do we go about our business, without seeking his guidance! In
our troubles how constantly do we strive to bear our burdens ourselves,
instead of casting them upon the Lord, that he may sustain us! This is not
because we may not, for the Lord seems to say, "I am thine, soul, come and
make use of me as thou wilt; thou mayst freely come to my store, and the
oftener the more welcome." It is our own fault if we make not free with
the riches of our God. Then, since thou hast such a friend, and he invites
thee, draw from him daily. Never want whilst thou hast a God to go to;
never fear or faint whilst thou hast God to help thee; go to thy treasure
and take whatever thou needest-there is all that thou canst want. Learn
the divine skill of making God all things to thee. He can supply thee with
all, or, better still, he can be to thee instead of all. Let me urge thee,
then, to make use of thy God. Make use of him in prayer. Go to him often,
because he is thy God. O, wilt thou fail to use so great a privilege? Fly
to him, tell him all thy wants. Use him constantly by faith at all times.
If some dark providence has beclouded thee, use thy God as a "sun;" if
some strong enemy has beset thee, find in Jehovah a "shield," for he is a
sun and shield to his people.
If thou hast lost thy way in the mazes of life, use him as a "guide," for
he will direct thee.
Whatever thou art, and wherever thou art, remember God is just what thou
wantest, and just where thou wantest, and that he can do all thou wantest.
C.H.SPURGEON
SOLI DEO GLORIA
Amen!