Thou God of my
end,
Thou hast given me a fixed disposition
to
go forth and spend my life for thee;
If it be thy will
let me proceed in it;
if not, then revoke my
intentions.
All I want in life
is such circumstances
as may best enable me to serve
thee in the world;
To this end I leave
all my concerns in thy hand,
but let me not be discouraged,
for this hinders my
spiritual fervency;
Enable me to
undertake some task for thee,
for this refreshes and animates
my soul,
so that I could
endure all hardships and labours,
and willingly suffer
for thy name.
But, O what a death
it is to strive and labour,
to be always in a hurry and yet
do nothing!
Alas, time flies and
I am of little use.
O that I could be a
flame of fire in thy service,
always burning out in one
continual blaze.
Fit me for singular
usefulness in this world.
Fit me to exult in
distresses of every kind
if they but promote the
advancement
of thy kingdom.
Fit me to quit all
hopes of the world’s friendship,
and give me a deeper sense of my
sinfulness.
Fit me to accept as
just desert from thee
any trial that may befall me.
Fit me to be totally
resigned to the denial
of pleasures I
desire,
and to be content to spend my
time with thee.
Fit me to pray with
a sense of the joy
of divine communion,
to find all times happy seasons
to my soul,
to see my own nothingness,
and wonder that I am allowed to
serve thee.
Fit me to enter the
blessed world
where no unclean
thing is,
and to know thee with me always.
SOURCE: The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions (p.178). Online here.
