Oh
LORD,
I am a shell full of dust,
but animated with an invisible rational soul
and made anew by an unseen power of grace;
Yet I am no rare object of valuable price,
but one that
has nothing and
is nothing,
although
chosen of thee
from eternity,
given to Christ, and
born again;
I am deeply convinced
of the
evil and
misery of a sinful state,
of the
vanity of creatures,
but also of
the sufficiency of Christ.
When thou wouldst guide me I control myself,
When thou wouldst be sovereign I rule myself.
When thou wouldst take care of me I suffice myself.
When I should depend on thy providings I supply myself,
When I should submit to thy providence I follow my will,
When I should study, love, honour, trust thee, I serve myself;
I fault and correct they laws to suit myself,
Instead of thee I look to a
man's approbation,
and am
by nature an idolater.
LORD, it is my chief design to
bring my heart back to thee.
Convince me that I cannot be my own God, or make myself happy,
nor my own Christ to restore my joy,
nor my own Spirit to teach, guide, rule me.
Help me to see that GRACE does this by providential affliction,
for when
my credit is good
thou dost cast me lower,
when
my riches are my idol
thou dost wing them away,
when
pleasure is my all thou dost turn it into bitterness.
Take away my roving eye, curious ear, greedy appetite, lustful heart;
show me that none of these things
can heal a wounded conscience,
or support a tottering frame,
or uphold a departing spirit
then take me to the cross
and leave me there.
Man A Nothing
- from - The Valley of Vision