The Convicting Spirit

My wife and I are using a collection of Puritan prayers as part of our mealtime devotions. Arthur Bennett collected a number of Puritan prayers and published them through The Banner of Truth. They have been an inspiration to us, putting into words our prayers and giving us a springboard into further prayers of our own. My thanks to Dr. Ben Reynolds who introduced me to this wonderful book, The Valley of Vision.

We read read this prayer, The Convicting Spirit, last night. 

Thou blessed Spirit, author of all grace and comfort, 

Come, work repentance in my soul; 

Represent sin to me in its odious colours that I may hate it; 

Melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of God; 

Show me my ruined self and the help there is in him; 

Teach me to behold my Creator, 

his ability to save, 

his arms outstretched, 

his heart big for me. 

May I confide in his power and love, 

commit my soul to him without reserve, 

bear his image, observe his laws, 

pursue his service,
and be through time and eternity 

a monument to the efficacy of his grace, 

a trophy of his victory.

Make me willing to be saved in his way, 

perceiving nothing in myself, but all in Jesus: 

Help me not only to receive him but 

to walk in him, 

depend upon him, 

commune with him, 

be conformed to him, 

follow him, 

imperfect, but still pressing forward, 

not complaining of labour, but valuing rest, 

not murmuring under trials, but thankful for my state. 

Give me that faith which is the means of salvation,
and the principle and medium of all godliness; 

May I be saved by grace through faith, 

live by faith, 

feel the joy of faith, 

do the work of faith. 

Perceiving nothing in myself, may I find in Christ 

wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. 

May this be our prayer as well: to perceive nothing in ourselves, but to find all fullness in Jesus.