The Valley of Vision

The following prayer is taken from the book The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett

The Valley of Vision

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, 
    where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights; 
    hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory. 
Let me learn by paradox 
   that the way down is the way up, 
   that to be low is to be high,
   that the broken heart is the healed heart,
   that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
   that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
   that to have nothing is to possess all, 
   that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, 
   that to give is to receive, 
   that the valley is the place of vision. 
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
   and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;
Let me find Thy light in my darkness, 
   Thy life in my death, 
   Thy joy in my sorrow, 
   Thy grace in my sin,
   Thy riches in my poverty, 
   Thy glory in my valley.

A Prayer of Surrender

“Father, I abandon myself into your hands.
Do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I will thank you.
I am ready for all; I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, as in all your creatures.
And I’ll ask nothing else, my Lord.” ~ ~ ~ Charles de Foucauld

A Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

"O Lord my God,

bestow upon me understanding to know You, 

zeal to seek You, 

wisdom to find You, 

a life that is pleasing to You, 

unshakable perseverance, 

and a hope that will one day take hold of You." ~ ~ ~ St. Thomas Aquinas

Columbanus wrote . . .

Irish monk Columbanus wrote, “Blessed is the time of waiting, when we stay awake for the Lord, the Creator of the universe, who fills all things and transcends all things. How I wish he would awaken me, his humble servant, from the sleep of slothfulness, even though I am of little worth. How I wish he would enkindle me with that fire of divine love. The flames of his love burn beyond the stars; the longing for his overwhelming delights and the divine fire ever burns within me!” - from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals