The Infinite and the Finite
THOU GREAT I AM,
Fill my mind with elevation and grandeur at the thought of a Being with whom one day is as a thousand years,
and a thousand years as one day,
A mighty God, who, amidst the lapse of worlds,
and the revolutions of empires, feels no variableness,
but is glorious in immortality.
May I rejoice that, while men die, the Lord lives;
that, while all creatures are broken reeds,
empty cisterns, fading flowers, withering grass,
He is the Rock of Ages, the Fountain of living waters.
Turn my heart from vanity, from dissatisfactions,
from uncertainties of the present state,
to an eternal interest in Christ.
Let me remember that life is short and
unforeseen, and is only an opportunity for usefulness;
Give me a holy avarice to redeem the time,
to awake at every call to charity and piety,
so that I may feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, instruct the ignorant,
reclaim the vicious, forgive the offender,
diffuse the gospel,
show neighborly love to all.
Let me live a life of self-distrust, dependence on thyself,
mortification, crucifixion, prayer.
—Valley of Vision
In a world of broken reeds and fading flowers, this Puritan prayer lifts our eyes to the unchanging grandeur of God. While empires rise and fall, and our lives pass like shadows, God remains the same—immortal, mighty, and near. He is the Rock of Ages and the Fountain of living waters, offering us something eternal in a life that is brief and uncertain.
This prayer reminds us that our days are not just fleeting—they are full of opportunity. When rooted in Christ, even our small acts of mercy become eternal investments. Ask God today to turn your heart from vanity and self-dependence toward a life marked by humility, usefulness, and trust in His everlasting strength. In Him, your life matters far more than you know. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics