I ran across this prayer in a book from James Stuart Bell, which included many selections from writers who had influenced the works of C.S. Lewis. Simple and eloquent.
O GOD, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, Father of all mercies, I thine unworthy servant do give Thee most humble thanks, for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to me. I bless Thee for my creation, preservation, and redemption, for the knowledge of thy son Jesus Christ, for the means of grace and the hope of glory. In the days of childhood and youth, in the midst of weakness, blindness, and danger, Thou hast protected me; amidst afflictions of mind, body, and estate, Thou hast supported me; and amidst vanity and wickedness Thou hast spared me. Grant O merciful Father, that I may have a lively sense of thy mercies. Create in me a contrite heart, that I may worthily lament my sins and acknowledge my wickedness, and obtain remission and forgiveness, through the satisfaction of Jesus Christ. And, O Lord, enable me, by thy grace, to redeem the time which I have spent in sloth, vanity, and wickedness; to make use of thy gifts to the honour of thy name; to lead a new life in thy faith, fear, and love; and finally to obtain everlasting life. Grant this, Almighty Lord, for the merits and through the mediation of our most holy and blessed Saviour Jesus Christ; to whom be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen
July 16, 2009 at 1:12 PM
This would be the same Dr Samuel Johnson that was responsible for the creation of the first English Dictionary, i assume?
I am not too sure why the Good Doctor would think his prayer of more use to anyone than that of Christ’s?
Excepting that mankind has throughout history seemed to believe he is capable of ‘improving’ the work of God and His Son.
i beg to differ with them.
‘Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name…’
<B
July 17, 2009 at 6:03 AM
Are you suggesting that “Christ’s prayer” be the one prayer to which we limit ourselves?
Confused, Thanks.
July 17, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Shall we say that i don’t believe any human has ever made a ‘better’ one for all mankind so why should we pay any attention to any of them over His?. (i am not saying we can never make our own prayer, in our own words, to Him directly)
If we pay attention to something of man over something of Christ in our lives it is the beginning of a long and very slippery slope.
i fully realise that we are ALL ‘different’ human beings, but i believe Christ spoke perfectly to and for every single one of us.
WE might find more ‘direct’ and personal ‘solace’ in the words of some people than we get from a bible, because we identify or relate better to some other human beings than to either a indeterminate entity referred to as ‘God’ or a 2000 year old human called Jesus’ but i don’t believe any human being or thought can improve on what either of those two ‘distant’ (but oh-so-close) beings offer each one of us.
Has that helped the confusion somewhat?
<B
July 17, 2009 at 8:59 PM
love, i think the point here is that this prayer, spoken by a human, was obviously anointed by God and through the wisdom of God.
i don’t think landry (or anyone else i would hope) is looking to this prayer as something more relatable or more holy than the prayer of Jesus.
it’s simply a well-written prayer, which in all reality, reflects the nature of the prayer of Christ. Jesus’ prayer was an example of how we should model our own prayers, not the only prayer we should consider praying.
July 18, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Came over from Joy Renee’s site… but I must admit I loved this prayer… it resonated with me… in my spirit… will reference this prayer in my devotional time.
Thanks!
July 25, 2009 at 2:37 PM
J-R – that is an interesting perspective, the thought that Dr Johnson was as divinely ‘inspired’ as the authors of the Bible…. could be worth meditating on that?
What proof of Authenticity would we as humans have for determining such, i wonder?
And how could we detect if the master of lies and deception had any part in the creation of such so as to break the bonds that tie us to God?
Interesting…..
As to Landry’s intent – i am sure you are right, but what is the visitor to this blog to make of the fact that this prayer was posted and commented upon here before the Lord’s Prayer was?
What is that telling such visitors regarding His presence and priority in ‘our’ lives?
While i am quite certain that Christians know the Lord’s Prayer and where to find it and say it frequently themselves(??) would a visitor to Landry’s blog necessarily know it or of it or could read and quote it as they are now able to the one of Dr Johnson?
As to the Actual Lord’s Prayer… in Matthew 6 Christ says we are to pray ‘after this manner’ which certainly could be interpreted as the words simply being a ‘model’ that we can all follow but not necessarily quote verbatim. But in Luke 11 the Apostles ask Jesus to teach them how to pray as John the Baptist taught His followers to do.
Jesus’s response to them is to tell them to SAY: “Our Father,…” etc.
A clear instruction which seems not open to other interpretations by those who wish to follow Christ.
There may indeed be Christians with sufficient faith in God and who are living IN God sufficiently to be able to pray after the fashion of the Lord’s Prayer – possibly Dr Johnson was one such – but i don’t believe ALL Christians are so endowed and some may indeed be ‘tempted’ to think Dr Johnson’s prayer was somehow ‘better’ than Jesus’ for them personally – and i should hate to think anyone ever felt so or that we were responsible for the idea in others.
Hence my initial comment.
August 3, 2009 at 4:02 AM
Love, I believe you clearly missed and continue to miss the point. Moreover, you seem to ingore that the bible clearly lays the precedent that the words of others are a great ministry. For example we read “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:12) Now I grant that the words of Dr. Johnson are not the words of Christ, but they are still edifying and useful for Christian encouragment. —- Using your own assumptions and logic, it could even be argued that we should give no thought to the prayers of the pslamists, even though Christ himself quoted from those prayers as well. I encourage you to take the post as intended – edficaiton and encouragment. If you can’t, that is fine as well, but please don’t try to assert that these words are of any more encouragment than the words or prayers of Christ.
August 3, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Landry – as a fellow part of the Body i would wish that we (all) can be of one mind here.
My ‘missing the point’, as you assert, should show that despite our best efforts others may not see things in exactly the same way ‘we’ do.
This is my concern always – that what we do and say be seen as showing Him in/through us over the humanness we all have in differing measures. That whatever we do leads others ONLY to Him and always away from our human flesh nature.
As for ignoring the Bible it was in part the lack of any such ‘reminder’ in your post that i first felt it necessary to comment. You directly referenced James Stewart Bell, C.S. Lewis and Dr Johnson – all mortal beings; God and Jesus were only referenced indirectly. Should it not be the other way around always?
I find that most human beings have a very poor ability to use True Logic.
I am very thankful for your reference to Ephesians 4:11,12 but we are to logically understand (He is the Master Logician – superior to any one of us) that The Spirits that Christ gave ‘some’ He did not give to ALL equally and it is presumptious of any one of us to say that the words of any single man – however blessed or divinely led of the Spirit – are definitely correctly edifying the Body of Christ.
There is always some level of imperfection in the things of man.
The verses following your quote into Ephesians 4 offer the warning that:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
We are to come into Unity in our Faith and no longer be deceived by the craftiness of men in the flesh (and also in OUR flesh) and grow up into HIM in all things.
Sometimes our own mind can deceive us; only through being in one Faith, having unity in and through Him, may we all take our rightful place as members in the one body through true Faith.
Verses 16 to 32 of this chapter clearly show us that our own mind and thoughts (and indeed all human formed thought as opposed to Spiritually formed thought/mind) are inferior to that which we have while in Him alone.
It is my sincere hope that this understanding be shared throughout all members of the Body of Christ.
I am less than certain that all pastors or ministers or teachers who edify their fellow members do so completely effectively or with perfect understandings.
Deceit is not only achieved when it is intended – well-meaning people may still deceive those who are having difficulty in seeing clearly what God is trying to show them by reason of them being lead more by their own imperfect understanding and less through True Faith in Christ.
As for the Psalmists – they perhaps may have had Christ’s Spirit within them but they did not have His words to quote as He had not yet been born. Christ had their words to quote as ‘proof’ to those who did not believe in Him, but who believed in the Psalmists words, that He was sent by the same God who gave the Psalmists and Moses their ‘instruction’ – The Law and The Prophets.
My whole point was the exact opposite of your last sentence – the words of Christ are ALWAYS to be taken as of Greater encouragement to any words of mankind – i do not feel that your post showed this clearly enough to any who read it.
While – as i have previously acknowledged above – Dr Johnson’s Prayer might well have been edifying for him personally and possibly may also offer some of us (as Bajan has indicated he will reference it in his devotions to God) a ‘useful’ resource it is my contention that Christ is to be our First reference in our prayers to God. We may still choose to give attention to additional (human, but lead by the Spirit) sources as we feel ‘appropriate’ to our own walk with Him.
Something i am certain you and i are in agreement with.
Even if your post does not make that 100% clear
<B
November 30, 2009 at 10:58 PM
hubby!
i miss your blog posts!
i’ve seen your little journal.
you should transpose some of those ideas onto here!