A blessing in prayer~

by Charles F. Richardson



If when I kneel to pray,

With eager lips I say,

Lord, give me all the things that I desire--

Health, wealth, fame, friends, brave heart, religious fire,

The power to sway my fellow men at will,

And strength for mighty works to banish ill"--

~In such a prayer as this

~The blessing I must miss.

Or if I only dare

To raise this fainting prayer:

"Thou seest, Lord, that I am poor and weak,

And cannot tell what things I ought to seek;

I therefore do not ask at all, but still

I trust Thy bounty all my wants to fill"--

~My lips shall thus grow dumb,

~The blessing shall not come.

But if lowly fall,

And thus in faith I call:

"Through Christ, O Lord, I pray Thee give to me

Not what I would, but what seems best to Thee

Of life, of health, of service, and of strength,

Until to Thy full joy I come at length"--

~My prayer shall then avail;

~The blessing shall not fail.