Prayer 123

 O Eternal God, though Thou art not such as I can see with my eyes or touch with my hands, yet grant me this day a clear conviction of Thy reality and power. Let me not go forth to my work believing only in the world of sense and time, but give me grace to understand that the world I cannot see or touch is the most real world at all. My life to-day will be lived in time, but eternal issues will be concerned in it. The needs of my body will be clamant, but it is for the needs of my soul that I must care most. 

My business will be with things material, but behind them let me be aware of things spiritual. Let me keep steadily in mind that the things that matter are not money or possessions, not houses or lands, not bodily comfort or bodily pleasure, but truth and honour and meekness and helpfulness and a pure love of Thyself. 

For the power Thou has given me to lay hold of things unseen: 

For the strong sense I have that this is not my home

For my restless heart which nothing finite can satisfy

I give thanks to Thee, O God. 

For the invasion of my soul by Thy Holy Spirit

For all human love and goodness that speak to me of Thee

For the fullness of Thy glory outpoured in Jesus Chris 

I give Thee thanks, O God. 

I, a pilgrim of eternity, stand before Thee, O eternal One. Let me not seek to deaden or destroy the desire for Thee that disturbs my heart. Let me rather yield myself to its constraint and go where it leads me. Make me wise to see all things to-day under the form of eternity, and make me brave to face all changes in my life which such a vision may entail: through the grace of Christ my Saviour. Amen.