On Silvery Wing of Holiest Song

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Gospel, Jesus Christ, Poem, Praise

“Hush! while on silvery wing of holiest song

Floats forth the old, dear story of our peace,

His coming, the Desire of Ages long,

To wear our chains and win our glad release.

Our wondering joy, to hear such tidings blest,

Is crowned with ‘Come to Him, and He will give you rest.’

Rest, by His sorrow!  Bruised for our sin,

Behold the Lamb of God!  His death our life.

Now lift your heads, ye gates!  He entereth in,

Christ risen, indeed, and Conqueror in the strife.

Thanks, thanks to Him who won, and Him who gave

Such victory of love, such triumph o’er the grave.”

–from “Threefold Praise,” by Frances Ridley Havergal

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Thirsty for Him

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Faith, God, Humanity, Humility, Prayer, Reliance

“O Lord, my God, Thou art to me whatsoever is good.  Remember me because I am nothing, I have nothing, and I can do nothing.  Thou alone art good, just, and holy; Thou canst do all things, Thou accomplishest all things, Thou fillest all things.  Remember Thy mercies, and fill my heart with Thy grace, Thou who wilt not that Thy works should be void and in vain.  Turn not Thy face away from me; withdraw not Thy consolation, lest my soul become as a thirsty land to Thee.  Teach me, O Lord, to do Thy will; teach me to live worthily and humbly in Thy sight–Amen.”

-Thomas a Kempis, quoted in Great Souls at Prayer, 308

Glorious Light

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Glory, Prayer

“Almighty God, who hast caused the light of eternal life to shine upon the world, we beseech Thee that our hearts may be so kindled with heavenly desires, and Thy Holy Spirit, that we may continually seek the things which are above; and, abiding in purity of heart and mind, may at length attain unto Thine everlasting kingdom, there to dwell in the glorious light of Thy presence, world without end–Amen.”

-Book of Prayers, 1851, quoted in Great Souls at Prayer, 262

Clear Sight

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Prayer, Truth

“Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that as we are bathed in the new light of Thy everlasting truth, so our clear sight of Thee in heart and mind may become sincere obedience to Thee in word and deed–Amen.”

-Rowland Williams, quoted in Great Souls at Prayer, 248

Giver of Rest

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God, Peace, Rest, Truth

“O Lord, who art as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land, who beholdest Thy weak creatures, weary of labor, weary of pleasure, weary of hope deferred, weary of self, in Thine abundant compassion and unutterable tenderness, bring us, we pray Thee, unto Thy rest–Amen.”

-Christian Rosetti, quoted in Great Souls at Prayer, 240

Beautified

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Prayer, Sanctification

“O blessed Lord, I beseech Thee to pour down upon me such grace as may not only cleanse this life of mine, but beautify it a little, if it be Thy will,–before I go hence and am no more seen.  Grant that I may love Thee with all my heart and soul and mind and strength, and my neighbor as myself–and that I may persevere unto the end; through Jesus Christ–Amen.”

-James Skinner, quoted in Great Souls at Prayer, 125

Star and Guide

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Holy Spirit

“O holy Spirit, Love of God, infuse Thy grace, and descend plentifully into my heart; enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling, and scatter there Thy cheerful beams; dwell in that soul that longs to be Thy temple; water that barren soil, over-run with weeds and briars, and lost for want of cultivating, and make it fruitful with Thy dew from heaven.  Oh come, Thou refreshment of them that languish and faint.  Come, Thou Star and Guide of them that sail in the tempestuous sea of the world; Thou only Haven of the tossed and shipwrecked.  Come, Thou Glory and Crown of the living, and only Safeguard of the dying.  Come, Holy Spirit, in much mercy, and make me fit to receive Thee–Amen.

-Augustine of Hippo, quoted in Great Souls at Prayer, 61

“Martyrs’ Song”

 

“Death is short, and life is long;

Satan is strong, but Christ more strong

At His Word, Who hath led us hither,

The Red Sea must part hither and thither

At His Word, Who goes before us too,

Jordan must cleave to let us through.”

–Christina Rossetti[1]

 

[1] Christina Rossetti, “Martyrs’ Song”, The Works of Christina Rossetti, Cumberland House, Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Ltd, 1995, p.268.

The Crowning Mercy

“Almighty God, Giver of all good, who hast given, above all Thy gifts, the crowning mercy that we are called in Christ Jesus to know and love and serve Thee, we would bring Thee thanks and praises for the Divine Light which reveals the heart of grace in Thy leading of souls and peoples.  Help us to rise to a fit gratitude for the overrunning blessings which Thou givest ever, even to the darkest lot and live,–the temporal felicities, the Divine comforts, the eternal hopes.  That all things are of Thy mercy, by Thy mercy, and in Thy mercy, we thank Thee.  Make us to sing Thy songs in the light, and in the night to touch Thy hand and be at peace.  Grant, we pray, with all other blessings, Thy best gifts, thankful and trustful hearts, that Thou mayest be our Lord and King for evermore–Amen.”

-Henry W. Foote, quoted in Great Souls at Prayer, 358.

Sufficient Praise

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Prayer, Worship

“O most merciful God, whose mercies are as high as the heavens, great and many as the moments of eternity; fill my soul, I beseech Thee, with great thoughts of Thy unspeakable blessings, that my thankfulness may be as great as my needs of mercy are.  Let Thy loving-kindness endure for ever and ever upon me; and, because I cannot praise Thee according to Thy excellence, take my soul, in due time, into the land of everlasting praises, that I may spend a whole eternity in ascribing to Thy Name praise, and honor, and dominion.  Grant this for Jesus Christ’s sake–Amen.”

-Jeremy Taylor, quoted in Great Souls at Prayer, 326.