Ecstasy of Saint Paul, Nicolas Poussin, 1643
O Holy Spirit, giver of light and life,
impart to us thoughts higher than our thoughts,
and prayers better than our own prayers,
and powers beyond our own powers,
that we may spend and be spent
in the ways of love and goodness,
after the perfect image of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Amen.
George Wallace Briggs, 1875 – 1959, Anglican clergyman
_________________
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
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