The Divine Will

O God, Our Father,

We hang on thee; we see, believe, live, when thy will, not ours, is done; we can plead nothing in ourselves

in regard of any worthiness and grace,

in regard of thy providence and promises,

but only they good pleasure.

If thy mercy makes us poor and vile, blessed be thou!

Prayers arising from our needs are preparation for future mercies; 

Help us to honor thee by believing before we feel,

for great is the sin if we make feeling the cause of faith.

Show us what sins hide thee from us and eclipse thy love;

Help us to humble ourselves for past evils,

to be resolved to walk with more care,

For if we to not walk holily before thee,

how can we be assured of our salvation?

It is the meek and humble who are shown thy covenant,

know thy will, are pardoned and healed,

who by faith depend and rest upon grace,

who are sanctified and quickened,

who evidence thy love.

Help us to pray in faith and so find thy will,

by leaning hard on they rich free mercy,

by believing thou wilt give what thou has promised;

Strengthen us to pray with the conviction that whatever we receive is thy gift to us, so that we may pray until prayer be granted;

Teach us to believe that all degrees of mercy arise from several degrees of prayer, that when faith is begun it is imperfect and must grow, as chapped ground opens wider and wider until rain comes.

So shall we wait thy will, pray for it to be done, and by they grace become fully obedient.

Adapted from  The Valley of Vision,

The Banner of Truth Trust

Ed. by Arthur Bennett,

p. 9