Consecration and Worship

My God,

I feel it is heaven to please Thee,
and to be what Thou wouldst have me be.

O that I were holy as Thou art holy,
pure as Christ is pure,
perfect as Thy Spirit is perfect!

These, I feel, are the best commands in Thy Book,
and shall I break them? must I break them?
am I under such a necessity as long as I live here?

Woe, woe is me that I am a sinner,
that I grieve this blessed God,
who is infinite in goodness and grace!

O, if He would punish me for my sins,
it would not wound my heart so deep to offend Him;
But though I sin continually,
He continually repeats His kindness to me.

At times I feel I could bear any suffering,
but how can I dishonour this glorious God?

What shall I do to glorify and worship this best of beings?

O, that I could consecrate my soul and body to His service,
without restraint, forever!

O that I could give myself up to Him,
so as never more to attempt to be my own!
or have any will or affections
that are not perfectly conformed to His will
and His love!

But, alas, I cannot live and not sin.

O may angels glorify Him incessantly,
and, if possible, prostrate themselves lower
before the blessed king of heaven!

I long to bear a part with them in ceaseless praise;
But when I have done all I can to eternity
I shall not be able to offer more than a small fraction
of the homage that the glorious God deserves.

Give me a heart full of divine, heavenly love.


Taken from The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions