Faith & The World
O LORD,
The world is artful to entrap,
Approaches and fascinates guise,
Extends many a gilded bait,
presents many a charming face.
Let my faith scan every painted bauble,
and escape every bewitched snare,
in a victory that overcomes
all things.
In my duties give me firmness, energy, zeal, devotion to thy cause,
courage in thy name, love as a working grace,
and all commensurate with my trust.
Let faith stride forth in giant power,
and love respond with energy in every act.
—Valley of Vision
The Puritan prayer above rises from a truth about our nature—we’re all prone to wander and easily tempted. James 1:13-14 reads, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” This is our fallen self; enamored with sinful desires, we allow our appetites to call us away from what we know is right and true. James warns, “Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death,” (1:15). This prayer should be each of our earnest appeals before the Father; for discernment and devotion. Let us pray the Lord safeguard our hearts from every snare that would trip us up in our pursuit of holiness. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics