Weaknesses
O SPIRIT OF GOD,
Help my infirmities;
When I am pressed down
with a load of sorrow,
perplexed and knowing not what to do,
slandered and persecuted,
made to feel the weight of the cross,
help me, I pray thee.
If thou seest in me
any wrong thing encouraged,
any evil desire cherished,
any delight that is not thy delight,
any habit that grieves thee,
any nest of sin in my heart,
then grant me the kiss of thy forgiveness,
and teach my feet to walk the way of
thy commandments.
Deliver me from carking care,
And make me a happy, holy person;
Help me to walk the separated life with
firm and brave step,
and to wrestle successfully
against weakness;
Teach me to laud,
adore, and magnify thee,
with the music of heaven,
And make me a perfume
of praiseful gratitude to thee.
I do not crouch at thy feet
as a slave before a tyrant,
but exult before thee
as a son with a father.
Give me power to live
as thy child in all my actions,
and to exercise sonship
by conquering self.
Preserve me from the intoxication
that comes of prosperity;
Sober me when I am glad with a joy
that comes not from thee.
Lead me safely
on to the eternal kingdom,
not asking whether the road
be rough or smooth.
I request only to see the face of him I love,
to be content with bread to eat,
with raiment to put on,
if I can be brought to thy house in peace.
—Valley of Vision
When Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1), it was because they needed—and we, in turn, need—instruction in this lifelong, challenging discipline. Jesus didn’t respond with, “Don’t worry about it. It’ll just come easily and naturally.” We shouldn’t be surprised that prayer takes work, training, practice, and improvement of over time. The Valley of Vision is one of the best resources I know to help us learn the practice of prayer. What a marvelous introspective prayer we have before us today! I’d suggest internalizing it, word for word before the Lord. It reads similarly, I think, to Psalm 139—professing belief that God knows me so intimately and sees me so completely that He can alert my heart to things to come. This is sort of a preemptive, forward-looking prayer; appealing to God for what is to come. This is the sort of prayer that grows us closer to our God, brings us deeper faith, more self-clarity and awareness, and hope—in other words, the things we really need most! —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics