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Thy Will Be Done
A PRAYER THAT THE WILL OF GOD BE DONE Grant me Your grace, O most merciful Jesus, that it may be with me, and work with me, and remain with me to the very end. Grant that I may always desire and will that which is most acceptable and pleasing to You. Let Your will be mine. Let my will always follow Yours and agree perfectly with it. Let my will be one with Yours in willing and in not willing, and let me be unable to will or not will anything but what You will or do not will. Grant that I may die to all things in this world, and for Your sake love to be despised and unknown in this life. Give me above all desires the desire to rest in You, and in You let my heart have peace. You are true peace of heart. You alone are its rest. Without You all things are difficult and troubled. In this peace, the selfsame that is in You, the Most High, the everlasting Good, I will sleep and take my rest. Amen. —Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471), OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST, Book Three, Chapter Fifteen “How One Should Feel and Speak on Every Desirable Thing.” This selection from the Christian Classic Ethereal Library at www.ccel.org. DIRECT LINKS (Title Page) www.ccel.org/k/kempis/imitation2/htm/i.htm (Table of Contents) www.ccel.org/k/kempis/imitation2/htm/TOC.htm (Chapter 15) www.ccel.org/k/kempis/imitation2/htm/Three.15.htm#Three.15 [PERSONAL NOTE: On my recent trip to Europe (Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary), I did what I often do—instead of shopping for trinkets, I visit shops that sell used books, particularly old hymnals and Bibles. For some reason one particular shop had several copies of this devotional classic by Thomas à Kempis. I found one that was printed in Vienna in 1825 (German). I also purchased a tiny Latin volume that was published in Venice in the year MDCCXXVI (1726). It is leather, well-worn, but in pretty good shape, and it measures 4.5” x 2.25” x 1.25”. Think what was happening in the world in 1726.] Have a great week. Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.carlstam.org www.sbts.edu/icw |