A Puritan's Prayer...echoed

A few days ago I read a post from the blog “Possessing the Treasure” which is overseen by my internet brother, Mike Ratliff. As I read over it I was drawn to go back and really read every line of this Puritan’s Prayer. I copied it and saved it in a file. I now have read it again and again, and without seeming obsessed I could not let it go. The brokenness and humbleness with which the author describes his time in prayer with the Lord, as well as taking the time to mentally amplify the phrases and some of the old ways of speaking, ministered very deeply to my Spirit.

And so I felt led to echo, in my own words, the things that this brother shared about the experiences of his private prayer closet. (The words in blue italics are mine) I do not intend to improve on the beauty and Spirit of his words, oh no, I was just compelled by his thoughts, and I, in a small way, wanted to glorify the August and Loving Father which I’m sure was the writer's complete intention.

And finally, by this exaltation of the gift of prayer, I have been exhorted by His Spirit to seek to exemplify more closely what these words of glorious praise have taught and revealed. I pray that it will have the same effect of you.

In prayer I launch far out into the eternal world,
In communion with You, Lord, I am carried by Your Spirit beyond the bounds of this finite world
and on that broad ocean my soul triumphs
And while sailing on the boundless waters of Your presence I find Your victory
over all evils on the shores of mortality.
Which rescues me from the evil of this carnal life.
Time, with its gay amusements and cruel disappointments
This present world’s joys or sorrows
never appears so inconsiderate as then.
Never seem so worthless while in prayer with You.
In prayer I see myself as nothing;
While in prayer with You I am completely humbled
I find my heart going after thee with intensity,
During deep communion with You I seek You with my whole heart
and long with vehement thirst to live to thee.
And like a thirsty deer seeks for water I long to be a living sacrifice for You
Blessed be the strong gales of the Spirit
Praise Your name for the Strength of Your Spirit
that speed me on my way to the New Jerusalem.
That carries me toward the New Jerusalem, the Heavenly City
In prayer all things here below vanish,
Locked in prayer with You the lure of this present world disappears
and nothing seems important
And all is meaningless when I'm in Your presence
but holiness of heart and the salvation of other.
But repenting of my sin and proclaiming Your salvation to the world
In prayer all my worldly cares, fears, anxieties disappear,
While in prayer You remove all the cares of this world and I fear nothing but You
and are of as little significance as a puff of wind.
And everything earthly is of little notice
In prayer my soul inwardly exults with lively thoughts
While I am in Your presence my heart is filled with thoughts of praise
at what thou art doing for thy church,
At how You love and care for Your blood bought people
and I long that thou shouldest get thyself a great name
And my desire is that you would receive honor to Your Majestic Name
from sinners returning to Zion.
From the lips of sinners called to the Savior’s throne
In prayer I am lifted above the frowns and flatteries of life,
In prayer You lift me high above the temporal circumstances of this life
and taste heavenly joys;
And in the Spirit I experience joy unspeakable and full of glory
entering into the eternal world
And as I proceed in prayer into Your eternal throne room
I can give myself to thee with all my heart,
I can offer myself to You alone with my whole heart
to be thine for ever.
For I belong to You alone forever
In prayer I can place all my concerns in thy hands,
While in prayer I can place all my burdens in Your nail scarred hands
to be entirely at thy disposal,
Never for me to worry about them again
having no will or interest of my own.
Because they no longer belong to me
In prayer I can intercede for my friends, ministers,
While at Your throne I can pray for my friends and my ministers,
sinners, the church, thy kingdom to come,
I can pray for the lost as well as the redeemed, and for Your kingdom to come to this earth
with greatest freedom, ardent hopes,
And I can enter Your presence boldly and filled with hope
as a son to his father,
And as a loving son I call You my Father
as a lover to the beloved.
And as a bride loves her bridegroom
Help me to be all prayer and never to cease praying.
I beg for Your power so I am consumed with prayer and and walking in prayer every moment

From The Valley of Vision - A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions by Arthur Bennett