A Prayer ...

O Lord, my God ... Help me. I have learned the doctrine of depravity O Lord, and I have found it in myself. I am weak and often drawn anyway from the perfections of my Lord Christ. I find, Most Holy, that everything in the world works to draw my mind away from Your glory and from a heart singly given over to You. Every TV show, every joke, every conversation, every lesser pleasure serves to entice my flesh to sin. I find myself too eager to sin, too eager to be angry, too eager to speak with a sharp tongue, too eager to be frustrated, too quick a reply, too zealous of a bad attitude ... and I find more than enough opportunities in a day to do these things. My mind and heart betray me O Lord, too often because of the least temptation. I find corruption in me and my flesh is too eager for sin. But I find two laws in my members. Yes, one leads me too sin but there is another, O Sovereign God, that calls me to holiness. Even as my flesh revels in sin, I hear the voice of Your Holy Spirit calling me to You. And I loath myself in my sin. My spirit O God, is zealous for Your company. I ache for Your presence in my life, family, ministry and work. I desire to know You above all things. More than anything else my God, I want to be totally Yours. Help me O God to hate sin and to love You. As John the Baptist spoke "He must increase and I must decrease" help me to decrease. Teach me to be small and in being small, teach me to magnify You in all things. As I grow down in my own eyes, may my vision of You grow higher every day. Help me O God because I cannot do this myself. I am not able because my flesh is too eager to betray me. But what is not possible with men is possible with You O God. What I cannot do, You can do. I am in Your hands. I am helpless. My only hope is in Your promises of Presence and mercy. In You alone do I trust. Help me I beg You. I ask in the Name of my God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.