Morning Prayer

 

Jesus answered,

“I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6

John 1:4

In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.

Oh, that the joy of the Lord would ever be

the 'background to our consciousness'!

The excerpt below from the book

The Gown of Glory by Agnes Sligh Turnbull

(I esp. love the prayers in this book)

This morning's prayer-poem started before I was out of bed,

as I prayed the third stanza,

(for how can I/we have a closer walk with Him

if there is an area of unrepentance still unaddressed?!)

I kept switching this from a personal I/me format

to a general us/we settling on the latter

because we are all in this faith-fight together

and it is the prayers of God's people that

keep His army strong!

Father of earth and Heav’n

We praise Thee for Thy grace

In this new day that Thou hast giv’n

Let nothing take Thy place

Be Thou our strength and stay

Over each thought preside

For thought shapes what we do and say

Then let Thy goodness guide

By the lamp of Thy Word

Convict the rebel-heart

Because without conviction, Lord

Repentance cannot start

Lord give us eyes to see

The fringes of Thy Hand

The thunder of Thy majesty

Ah, who can understand

But let it be enough

Whether in gain or loss

To know Thy everlasting love

Was proven on the cross

Help us fight the good fight

As warriors of peace

Fit us with Thy armor of Light

Where doom’s dark threats increase

Where pitfalls plague and test

Where enemies press hard

Lord, bid our souls to be at rest

Yet ever on Thy guard

Help us hunger and thirst

After Thy righteousness

Let truth keep us from being cursed

By vain covetousness

Father of earth and heav’n

Instill in us the joy

That at faith’s birthplace first was giv’n

And man cannot destroy

As we face the unknown

Let Thy Presence portray

One Hand beneath each stepping stone

And one to show the way

© Janet Martin

Take Thou My Hand, O Father