Valley of Vision: Reconciliation

The Banner of Truth Trust ^ | 1975 | Arthur Bennett

[Gamecock]

Lord God Almighty,

Thou art beforehand with men

for thou hast reconciled thyself to the world

through the cross,

and dost beseech men to accept reconciliation.

It is my responsibility to grasp thy overtures of grace,

for if thou, the offended part, act first

with the word of appeasement,

I need not call in question thy willingness to save,

but must deplore my own foolish maliciousness;

If I do not come to thee as one who seeks thy favour,

I live in contempt, anger, malice, self-sufficiency,

and thou dost call it enmity.

Thou hast taught me the necessity of a Mediator,

a Messiah,

to be embraced in love with all my heart,

as king to rule me,

as prophet to guide me,

as priest to take away my sin and death,

and this by faith in thy beloved Son

who teaches me

not to guide myself,

not to obey myself,

not to try to rule and conquer sin,

but to cleave to the one who will do all for me.

Thou hast made known to me

that to save me is Christ’s work,

but to cleave to him by faith is my work,

and with this faith is the necessity of my

daily repentance

as a mourning for the sin which Christ

by grace has removed.

Continue, O God, to teach me

that faith apprehends Christ’s righteousness

not only for the satisfaction of justice,

but as unspotted evidence of thy love to me.

Help me to make use of his work of salvation as

the ground of peace,

and of thy favour to, and acceptance of me

the sinner,

so that I may live always near the cross.

[Gamecock]

This prayer is taken from a collection of Puritan works titled "The Valley of Vision." First published in 1975 by Arthur Bennett, the book has been used by many Christians for prayer, as a devotional, or just plain reflection.

I plan to post one each day and hope that each of you will benefit from a brief glimpse into the mind of the Puritans. If you would like on or off of this ping list please let me know.

Please, no flaming, cussin' or wagering.

[Gamecock]

VoV Ping

"Margaret, I think I've said all I want to say."
Rev Prof Frederick S. Leahy, MTh. (1922 – 2006) on his way home the post office after mailing his latest manuscript titled ‘The Hand of God’ to his publisher. His statement was directed to his wife who asked him if he wanted to stop and pick up a notebook for his next work.

He died two hours later

[Frumanchu]

January 25

“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us.”

- Isaiah 63:7

And canst thou not do this? Are there no mercies which thou hast experienced? What though thou art gloomy now, canst thou forget that blessed hour when Jesus met thee, and said, “Come unto me”? Canst thou not remember that rapturous moment when he snapped thy fetters, dashed thy chains to the earth, and said, “I came to break thy bonds and set thee free”? Or if the love of thine espousals be forgotten, there must surely be some precious milestone along the road of life not quite grown over with moss, on which thou canst read a happy memorial of his mercy towards thee? What, didst thou never have a sickness like that which thou art suffering now, and did he not restore thee? Wert thou never poor before, and did he not supply thy wants? Wast thou never in straits before, and did he not deliver thee? Arise, go to the river of thine experience, and pull up a few bulrushes, and plait them into an ark, wherein thine infant- faith may float safely on the stream. Forget not what thy God has done for thee; turn over the book of thy remembrance, and consider the days of old. Canst thou not remember the hill Mizar? Did the Lord never meet with thee at Hermon? Hast thou never climbed the Delectable Mountains? Hast thou never been helped in time of need? Nay, I know thou hast. Go back, then, a little way to the choice mercies of yesterday, and though all may be dark now, light up the lamps of the past, they shall glitter through the darkness, and thou shalt trust in the Lord till the day break and the shadows flee away. “Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses, for they have been ever of old.”

C.H. Spurgeon, Morning and Evening