It is a blessing to
be able to pray alongside God's people through the ages. Sometimes their words
are what we wanted to say, but we couldn't express it ourselves. Sometimes
their words are the words that we should be praying, but we didn't even realize
it. God uses others' prayers to shape us and our prayers. This prayer is from The
Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. It is
called Protection, and it is the pray
of a community for each other for growth in sanctification. It is the prayer I want to pray for my own church.
***
O Lord God,
Thou art our Preserver, Governor,
Saviour, and coming Judge. Quieten our souls to call upon thy name;
Detach us from the influence of the
flesh and the senses;
Impress us with the power of faith;
Promote in us spirituality of mind
that will render our services acceptable to thee, and delightful and profitable
to ourselves.
Bring us into that state which
attracts thine eye,
and prepare us to receive the proofs
of thy love.
Show us our danger, that we may fly
to thee for refuge.
Make us sensible of our sin’s
disease,
that we may value the good
Physician.
Placard to us the cross, that it may
slay the enmity of our hearts.
Help us to be watchful over our
ways, jealous over our tempers, diligent over our hearts.
When we droop, revive us, When we
loiter, quicken us,
When we go astray, restore us.
Possess us with more of that faith
which is the principle of all vital
godliness.
May we be rich in faith, be strong
in faith, live by faith,
walk by faith, experience the joy of
faith, do the work of faith,
hope through faith.
Perceiving nothing in
ourselves, may we find in the Saviour wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
redemption.
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