A Sober Petition (or, An Earnest Appeal)

Today, there’s a surplus of noise in our lives,

 yet God still speaks in a quiet voice 

through the Scriptures and by His Spirit. 

Taking time to prayerfully focus our attention on God 

will help us tune in to His comforting, guiding voice.

 (Daily Bread Devotion-Listening for God's Voice)

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, 

but in deed and in truth.

1 John 3:18

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, 

that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Ps.90:14

***

Lulled by this world's noise

oh may it not be so

Deafened and blinded to the joys

Only God can bestow

***

We live in an age of unprecedented distraction!

Oh God, protect me/us from senses dulled

by constant appeal...

The prayer below is a sober petition

inspired in part by my dream last night

when I learned I only had a short time remaining to live,

and in part by the awful reality 

of the regard/disregard of the Word of God

as if it were the word of man! 

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour

Grant me not peace where sin resists

Repentance, with Reason’s clenched fists

Where surrender is ‘but in part’

Rather than fully yielded heart

Grant me not joy where pride defends

Choices of disobedience

Convict me where sly snares invade

Lest ‘faith’ becomes a masquerade

Dear loving, gracious, holy God

While I behold but the façade

Whereby judgement is oft inclined

You see my heart and soul and mind

Then, grant me not dull hopes unfurled

By prospects of this fleeting world

But rather guard with watchful eye

The place where true affections lie

And grant me not, where sin still reigns

A false sense of its broken chains

Forbid that I should be deceived

By erring rationale believed

Lord, grant me meeker, purer thirst

To seek you and your kingdom first

Then, help me live each day of grace

Prepared to meet Thee, face to face

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

© Janet Martin

Take Time To Be Holy