Skip to main content

A Prayer in Solitude

Father, thank you for this time of silence 
so I can listen more carefully and keenly at your Word. 

Thank you for this rare opportunity for solitude, 
away from trivial concerns and earthly cares, 
that I may have the precious moments to attune my heart back to You.

You have proven Yourself faithful, and because of this, 
though imperfectly, 
I have made it my aim to devote my life 
to Thy service.

But my heart is wicked, and my flesh weak, my will flickering,
That at times the very act of my worship for You
are the ones that split my devotion to You.

Father, forgive. I acknowledge in humble contrition
that my love for you is weak
that my effort to draw near to you is fleeting,
that my warmest thoughts for You are cold
that my will to serve and to obey is as fickle 
and faltering as the waves that recedes every time.

I confess that my love for You is not as warm and aflame as it ought--
even after knowing who You are and what You've done,
still my heart fails.
Father, forgive.

Forgive
this heart that is divided by conflicting desires,
this spirit that easily tires of the tasks set before me,
this worship that pales in comparison with who You are,
this devotion that grows cold at the slightest discouragement.

Forgive me, Father,
for the eyes that are not fixed solely on You
for the mind that does not solely dwell on thoughts of You
for the heart that wanders away from its heav'nly portion
for the spirit that strays after earthly desires that will not eternally last.

Grant me the grace, Lord,
to hear You clearer in this time of silence.
Grant that Your voice, through Thy Word, be louder and more distinct 
than all my concerns and cares,
than all my hopes deferred,
than all my anxieties and fears,
than all my heart's desires.

May Your word ring the clearest,
Your will be my only motivation and interest,

Your glory my utmost desire.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Faithfulness in the Lens of Genesis 24

    Faithfulness is denotatively defined as the quality of being steadfast in affection or allegiance; to be firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty; to be true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original. (Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, n.d.) This term nowadays usually has the connotation of simply staying consistent with what one has originally said. Faithfulness, however, is not simply staying true. The word faithfulness is derived from the Hebrew word ‘e-meth— a word contracted from the Hebrew word ‘âman, which means to build up or support; figuratively, to render firm, to be permanent, or quiet.   Being faithful, then, according to its Hebrew origin, is about one’s trustworthiness. To be a faithful person is to have certainty in truth. In the Scripture, the word “faithfulness” appeared 75 times, with “faithful” appearing just about as much—78 times. If one searches for all the occurrences of the word ‘emeth in the original translation, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Blessed

"Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion."                                                         (Psalm 84:5) Those who walk uprightly, who love the habitation of His temple; to those who long, yes, faint, for the courts of the LORD--those people are blessed. They will go from strength to strength until they appear in Zion, before the God in whom they delight. And even as such a man goes through the Valley of Baca--that is, the valley of weeping ( emeq ha-Baka )--he asks but one thing of the Lord: "Oh LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer... Look on the face of your anointed one." (vv. 8-9) Nothing else. Nothing more, and nothing less, than for God to look at him in his distress and assure him of His presence. So where does he go? To the courts of the Lord, where His presence is promised. To Hi...
Post a Comment
Read more

What shall I render to the LORD?

        I love the fact that the Bible never runs dry of "wonderful words of life." No matter how many times a Christian finishes through the whole Bible, it's always, always  sweeter the next reading. And somehow, there is always something... new.  New, not in the sense that I've never read this part of the Bible before. But it's more of a fresh perspective on the truth that has been there all along. And that's what makes His word even sweeter every time.        And such is Psalm 116 for me. I have always loved the Psalms, even as a kid, but it's only for these past three years that the psalmists' words resonate so deeply with me. The writer of Psalm 119 wasn't exaggerating when he said (v. 71-72), It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.  Truly, the more that we are disciplined in the School of Grace, the sweeter...
Post a Comment
Read more