Repentance

I'm getting myself ready for a Good Friday. I will be speaking on Christ's destiny his call to reconciliation and repentance. As I was looking through some really good books I rediscovered Charles Swindoll's book Simple faith what an amazing book and in it I found this beautiful Puritan prayer from the book the valley of vision. Its a beautiful prayer and one that I will pray more often:

I am a shell full of dust But animated with an invisible rational soul And made anew by an unseen power of grace Yet I am no rare object of valuable price But one that has nothing and is nothing Although chosen of thee from eternity, Given to Christ, and born again I am deeply convinced of the evil and misery of a sinful state, Of the vanity of creatures, But also of the sufficiency of Christ
When thou wouldst guide me I control myself When thou wouldst be sovereign I rule myself When thou wouldst take care of me I suffice myself When I should depend on they providing I supply myself When I should submit to thy providence I follow my own will, When I should study, love, honour, trust thee, I serve myself I fault and correct they laws to suit myself,
Instead of thee I look to man’s approbation, And am by nature an idolater. Lord, it is my chief design to bring my heart back to thee. Convince me that I cannot be my own god, or make myself happy, Nor my own Christ to restore my joy, Nor my own Spirit to teach, guide and rule me.
Help me to see that grace does this by providential affliction,
For when my credit is god thou dost cast me lower When riches are my idol thou dost wing them away, When pleasure is my all thou dost turn it into bitterness.
Take away my roving eye, curios ear, greedy appetite, lustful heart; Show me that none of these things
Can heal a wounded conscience, Or support a tottering frame, Or uphold a departing spirit.
Then take me to the cross and leave me there.