Thoughtful Thursday

I usually begin my mornings with devotions of some kind. I am not a routine or traditional woman but then that is not absolutely true. I have a morning routine and it usually, no … it always includes devotions. In this devotion time I usually set aside and hour to just ‘be’. I listen and I reflect after I have read Scripture and something of spiritual inspiration. Sometimes I read over a favorite passage or reading and towards the end of my time, I offer a prayer of gratitude. My favorite book in the Bible is Philippians with Psalm coming in a close second. As far as spiritual reading, I tend to lean towards writers and thinkers from the 19th century and earlier. John Baille (1886-1960) was a Scottish theologian, minister of the Church of Scotland, professor at Edinburg University, and brother of theologian Donald Macpherson Baille. This particular piece of his I read often. It is my hope that it causes you to take time to ponder the words of this theologian as I have on many cool mornings at the break of day.

MORNING DEVOTION | 1936

Eternal Father of my soul, let my first thought today be of you, let my first impulse be to worship you, let my first spoken word be your name, let my first action be to kneel before you in prayer.

For your perfect wisdom and perfect goodness;

For the love wherewith you love mankind;

For the love wherewith you love me;

For the great and mysterious opportunity of my life;

For the indwelling of your Spirit in my heart;

For the sevenfold gifts of your Spirit;

I praise and worship you, O Lord.

Yet let me not, when this morning prayer is said, think my worship ended and spend the day in forgetfulness of you. Rather from these moments of quietness let light go forth, and joy, and power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day;

Keeping me chaste in thought;

Keeping me temperate and truthful in speech;

Keeping me faithful and diligent in my work;

Keeping me humble in my estimation of myself;

Keeping me honorable and generous in my dealings with others;

Keeping me loyal to every hallowed memory of the past;

Keeping me mindful of my eternal destiny as a child of Thine;

O God, who has been the Refuge of my fathers through many generations, be my Refuge today in every time and circumstance of need. Be my Guide through all that is dark and doubtful. Be my Guard against all that threatens my spirit’s welfare. Be my Strength in time of testing. Gladden my heart with your peace; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen