Lovely prayer for a New Year

I just love The Valley of Vision... a book of Puritan prayers. Every now and then I find one that really encourages me in a big way. This prayer pretty much sums up my heart desire for the days ahead. I stumbled upon it in a really low parenting moment and when I read it I realized how much it hits every other part of life as well.

I want to love God and love others more than I have this past year. To be an imitator of God and to live a life of love as Christ did for me ( us!) is my biggest desire of all. ( Ephesians 5:1,2) I can only do this with the leading of His Spirit and through prayer. I want to live and breathe the praying life!!! I think that's why this Puritan prayer has really blessed me.


( from Morning Dedication p 220)
Almighty God,
As I cross the threshold of this day
I commit myself, soul, body,
affairs, friends, to thy care;
Watch over, keep, guide, direct, sanctify, bless me.
Incline my heart to thy ways;
Mould me wholly into the image of Jesus,
as a potter forms clay;
May my lips be a well-tuned harp
to sound thy praise;
Let those around see me living by Thy Spirit,
trampling the world underfoot,
unconformed by lying vanities,
transformed by a renewed mind,
clad in the entire armor of God,
shining as a never- dimmed light,
showing holiness in all my doings.
Let no evil this day soil my thoughts, words, hands.
May I travel miry paths with a life pure from spot or stain.
In needful transactions let my affection
be in heaven,
and let my love soar upwards in flames of fire,
my gaze fixed on unseen things,
my eyes open to emptiness, fragility,
mockery of earth and its vanities.
May I view all things in the mirror of eternity,
listening for the last trumpet call,
hastening unto the new heaven and earth.
Order this day all my communications
according to thy wisdom,
and to the gain of mutual good.
Forbid that I should not be profited
or made profitable.
May I speak each word as if my last word,
and walk each step as my final one,.
If my life should end today,
let this be my best day.