Matins

One of my favorite parts of the day is the 15-30 minutes I have with my Bible, my Puritan prayer book, and my coffee before my two loves awake. I titled this post "matins" not because I get up at midnight to chant my prayers, but because the word comes from the Latin "matutinae" or morning prayers and that essentially is what this time is. It doesn't happen every morning, but my day sure seems more ordered when it does.

I am reading through the book of Acts. It is exciting to experience again the passion and the power of the early church. After a chapter or two of that, I read one or two prayers from the Valley of Vision- a compilation of prayers written by Puritan Christians. They are amazing and never fail to leave me with a thought for the day. I wanted to share a few quotes with you...

Yesterday I read...

Help me to see how good they will is in all
and even when it crosses mine teach me to be pleased with it.
Grant me to feel thee in fire, and food and every providence,
and to see that thy many gifts and creatures
are but they hands and fingers taking hold of me.

Today I read...

Help me to pray in faith and so find they will,
by leaning hard on they rich free mercy,
by believing thou wilt give what thou has promised;
Strengthen me to pray with the conviction
that whatever I receive is thy gift,
so that I may pray until prayer be granted.

I wonder what the Lord is trying to tell me?