Monday, January 14, 2019

The Gospel Way


Blessed Lord Jesus,  

No human mind could conceive or invent the gospel.  
Acting in eternal grace, you yourself are both 
   the gospel messenger and the gospel message, 
   lived out on earth through infinite compassion, 
   applying your life to insult, injury, death, 
   that I might be redeemed, ransomed, freed. 
Blessing be to you, O Father, for devising this way, 
Eternal thanks to you, O Lamb of God, for opening this way, 
Praise everlasting to you, O Holy Spirit, for applying this way to my heart. 
Glorious Trinity, impress the gospel on my soul, 
   until its virtue pervades every aspect of my life;  
Let it be heard, acknowledged, professed, felt.
Teach me to do everything needful to secure this might blessing; 
Help me to give up every darling lust,
   to submit heart and life to its command,
   to have it always in my will,
      controlling my affections, 
      molding my understanding;
   to keep strictly to your ways,
       not departing from them in any instance,
       even if doing so would enable me to escape the evil of others, inconvenience or danger. 
Take me to the cross to seek glory from its infamy; 
Strip me of every pleasing pretense that I am making my own righteousness. 
O gracious Redeemer,
   I have neglected you too long,
   often crucified you,
   crucified you afresh by my unrepentant ways, 
   put you to open shame.
I thank you for the patience that has borne with me so long,  
   and for the grace that now makes me want to be yours.  
O unite me to yourself with inseparable bonds,
   that nothing may ever draw me back from you, my Lord, my Savior.