Right before I went on sabbatical a friend gave me a book of prayers.* I read many of them but the prayer below is the one I found myself frequently returning to. With this being election week, I've found myself returning to it again, and thought it would appropriate to share with you as well:
Let me learn by paradox
that the way up is the way down,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is a victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to process all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy the stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
I’ve now read this prayer dozens of times and it continues to serve as a good reminder for me to embrace the paradoxes that define our walk with Jesus. In a world that exalts power and success, God calls us to find strength in our weakness, joy in our sorrow, and abundance in our surrender. These paradoxes are not contradictions but point to the beautiful upside down (or should I say right-side up) design of God’s ways, where the path to true life leads through death to self, and the greatest gain is found in surrendering our all to Him.
As we navigate the complexities of life, may we hold fast to the truth that God’s ways, though often counter to worldly wisdom, are perfect and lead us towards the abundant life.
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25)
Peace,
Nick
*Book: The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett
Let me learn by paradox
that the way up is the way down,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is a victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to process all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy the stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
thy life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
I’ve now read this prayer dozens of times and it continues to serve as a good reminder for me to embrace the paradoxes that define our walk with Jesus. In a world that exalts power and success, God calls us to find strength in our weakness, joy in our sorrow, and abundance in our surrender. These paradoxes are not contradictions but point to the beautiful upside down (or should I say right-side up) design of God’s ways, where the path to true life leads through death to self, and the greatest gain is found in surrendering our all to Him.
As we navigate the complexities of life, may we hold fast to the truth that God’s ways, though often counter to worldly wisdom, are perfect and lead us towards the abundant life.
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25)
Peace,
Nick
*Book: The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett