Susanna Wesley's Prayer

Following up on my last post about prayer, I came across this prayer by Susanna Wesley -- a woman of God who lived 1669-1742. I think of a time in my Sunday School class, when my helper was praying, and one of the students intentionally belched during the prayer. It upset me considerably, and I made sure to let him know in a loving yet firm way that God is the Most High, not some kind of joke. Based on my experience with third graders, they know better than that. In these modern times when we so often do not fully appreciate the mighty God we're praying to, it was both sobering and refreshing to read the words of someone who truly had a healthy reverence and appreciation for the LORD.

"Enable me O God to collect and compose my thoughts before an immediate approach to thee in prayer.  May I be careful to have my mind in order when I take upon myself the honor to speak to the sovereign Lord of the universe, remembering that upon the temper of my soul depends in very great measure, my success. Thou art infinitely too great to be trifled with, too wise to be imposed on by a mock devotion and dost abhor a sacrifice without a heart. Help me to entertain an habitual sense of thy perfections as an admirable help against cold and formal performances. Save me from engaging in rash and precipitate prayers, and from abrupt breaking away to follow business or pleasure as though I had never prayed. Amen."

If Jesus prayed with such consistency and reverence toward the Father, who are we to do any less?