|
Puritan Prayer and Poetry...
Puritans weren't a judgmental, stoic lot of pharisees; they were a spiritual people whose "character and life lay in the practice of prayer and meditation." Puritans were intensely reformed in their understanding of God's Word and deeply experiential in their Christian lives, a state I personally believe to be ideal. Literate and thoughtful, they were given to journaling and then vocalizing those thoughts when they assembled, resulting in a prayerful genre of literature that was spiritual and lyrical. Above all, the Cross of Jesus Christ was not just an icon to these men and women, but the central truth of life. They grieved and revelled in the same three-fold light: the recognition of their deep sin, God's infinite Holiness and the marvelous grace that bridged the two. We could learn much from these dear older brothers and sisters. I'll dig deeper into this another day, but have included here a few lines from The Valley of Vision: a Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions (Banner of Truth Trust Books ISBN #0 85151 228 3).
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 the 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.
Blessings on you as you seek Christs glory in your valley!
Love,
|
