I enjoy the book “Valley of Vision” which is a collection of prayers from Christians several centuries ago. The book is wonderful, but the language can be antiquated and challenging to read. I occasionally use this to stir up my sluggish heart. I have decided to paraphrase some of them into more modern language for our use and thought I would share them with you.
“Love To Jesus”
Adapted from Valley of Vision
Lord Jesus,
If I love you, then my soul will seek you,
But can I seek you unless my love to you is kept alive for this purpose?
Do I really love you because you are good, and because you are the only one who can bring real good to me?
It would be right if you did not love me because I am vile and self centered; yet I do seek you and when I find you there is no wrath to consume me, only your sweet love.
You are like a huge rock that stands between the burning sun and my soul, and I live in the cool shade as your chosen one.
Whenever my mind works apart from you, it yields only deceit and delusions; and when my deep desires work apart from you the only result is lifeless actions.
O how much I need you to live within me, because I don’t naturally have eyes to see you; yet I live by faith in you, the one whose face shines brighter to me than a thousand suns.
Christ, when I see that all my life is full of sin and shame, then show me that you are full of all goodness and glory.
Keep me from believing the error that you only appear in glory to my soul when I experience a heart full of strange feelings, as if that was the activity of your grace and glory.
But let me see that you reveal your self most clearly during the eclipse of my personal pride and conceit, when the good and pleasurable things of this world fade away.
It is then that the Son truly breaks out in glory and shows that he is the one who outshines everything in creation; then he makes men spiritually poor and helps them find true riches in himself. Help me to be suspicious of myself, and to find everything good in you!
MattTroupe.net 