Gracious Lord,

Your name is love,

    in love receive my prayer.

My sins are more than the wide sea’s sand,

    but where sin abounds, there is grace more abundant.

Look to the cross of the your beloved Son,

    and view the preciousness of his atoning blood;

Listen to his never-failing intercession,

    and whisper to my heart, ‘Your sins are forgiven,

        be of good cheer, lie down in peace.’

Grace cataracts from heaven and flows for ever,

    and mercy never wearies in bestowing benefits.

Grant me more and more to prize the privilege of prayer,

        to come to you as a sin-soiled sinner,

        to find pardon in you,

        to converse with you;

        to know you in prayer as

            the path in which my feet tread,

            the latch upon the door of my lips,

            the light that shines through my eyes,

            the music of my ears,

            the marrow of my understanding,

            the strength of my will,

            the power of my affection,

            the sweetness of my memory.

May the matter of my prayer be always wise, humble, submissive,

    obedient, scriptural, Christ-like.

Give me unwavering faith that supplications are never in vain,

    that if I seem not to obtain my petitions

        I shall have larger, richer answers,

            surpassing all that I ask or think.

Unsought, you have given me the greatest gift,

    the person of your Son,

    and in him you will give me all I need.

 

The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

slightly updated

 

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God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. 

But as people sinned more and more, 

    God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 

So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, 

    now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, 

    giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life 

    through Jesus Christ our Lord.