The Unconditional Prayer of the Utterly Serious
While thumbing through some training materials for campus ministry staff this morning, I came across two things which caught my attention.
The first was part of a section on why it is important to join a church. Some FAQ's towards the end posed regularly voiced objections, along with their answers. To the objection "But church is full of hypocrites", the answer inter alia, said "well, there's always place for one more." :-) Too true. If there were such a thing as a perfect church and perfect pastor, we would dare not join for sake of ruining it!
The second thing was a prayer. Entitled, 'The unconditional prayer of the utterly serious', it truly is something which I, with fear and trembling, want to pray too:
"Lord God, my singular ambition in life is to magnify your Son. I don't care how you fit me into Your plan. You may spend me as You please. I place no conditions on Your arrangements. you set the terms of service. My only Prayer is that You ordain for my life whatever will glorify Christ through me.
If my Saviour be honoured more by my death than my life:
More in sickness than in health;
More in poverty than in wealth;
More through loneliness than companionship;
More by the appearance of failure than by the trappings of success;
More by anonymity than by notoriety,
Then your design is my desire.
Only let me make a difference!"
-Jim Andrews
Oh that we would have the courage to pray this honestly and often!
The first was part of a section on why it is important to join a church. Some FAQ's towards the end posed regularly voiced objections, along with their answers. To the objection "But church is full of hypocrites", the answer inter alia, said "well, there's always place for one more." :-) Too true. If there were such a thing as a perfect church and perfect pastor, we would dare not join for sake of ruining it!
The second thing was a prayer. Entitled, 'The unconditional prayer of the utterly serious', it truly is something which I, with fear and trembling, want to pray too:
"Lord God, my singular ambition in life is to magnify your Son. I don't care how you fit me into Your plan. You may spend me as You please. I place no conditions on Your arrangements. you set the terms of service. My only Prayer is that You ordain for my life whatever will glorify Christ through me.
If my Saviour be honoured more by my death than my life:
More in sickness than in health;
More in poverty than in wealth;
More through loneliness than companionship;
More by the appearance of failure than by the trappings of success;
More by anonymity than by notoriety,
Then your design is my desire.
Only let me make a difference!"
-Jim Andrews
Oh that we would have the courage to pray this honestly and often!
posted by Bronwyn at 5:04 am
1 Comments:
Amen to that prayer Bronwyn!
"Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked." (Psalm 84:10)
May the Lord show us how to be content with even being the doorkeeper!
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:12)
May the Lord show us to be content with Him ALONE!
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