The Personal Touch

THOU GREAT I AM,
I acknowledge and confess that all things
    come of thee --
  life, breath, happiness, advancement,
  sight, touch, hearing,
  goodness, truth, beauty –
  all that makes existence amiable.
In the spiritual world also I am dependent
    entirely upon thee.
Give me grace to know more of my need of grace;
Show me my sinfulness that I may willingly
    confess it;
Reveal to me my weakness that I may know
    my strength in thee.
I thank thee for any sign of penitence;
    give me more of it;
My sins are black and deep,
  and rise from a stony, proud,
    self-righteous heart;
Help me to confess them with mourning, regret,
  self-loathing,
  with no pretence to merit or excuse;
I need healing,
Good Physician, here is scope for thee,
  come and manifest thy power;
I need faith;
Thou who hast given it me, maintain, strengthen,
    increase it,
Centre it upon the Saviour’s work,
  upon the majesty of the Father,
  upon the operations of the Spirit;
Work it in me now that I may never doubt thee
  as the truthful, mighty, faithful God.
Then I can bring my heart to thee
  full of love, gratitude, hope, joy.
May I lay at thy feet these fruits grown
    in thy garden,
  love thee with a passion that can never cool,
  believe in thee with a confidence that never
    staggers,
  hope in thee with an expectation that can never
    be dim,
  delight in thee with a rejoicing that cannot
    be stifled,
  glorify thee with the highest of my powers,
    burning, blazing, glowing, radiating, as from
      thy own glory.