These I Ask of Thee

Just two days ago while I was sitting in the warmth of a perfect day in my parent's Las Vegas backyard, I was contemplating two things the Lord had recently drawn into my pathway of thought. The first was a profound prayer that was written and prayed by Sir Francis Drake before he set sail to the west coast of South America, ironically asking God to distress him and his crew to combat complacency and mediocrity. Victoria shared this prayer with me after she heard it quoted by a pastor on Sunday morning. (You can find it on the internet by clicking on the link below, if interested).

http://maggiesfarm.anotherdotcom.com/archives/1733-An-annual-re-post-Sir-Francis-Drakes-Prayer-1577..html)

The second was some proverbial wisdom found in Proverbs 30:7-9, my reading of which was prompted by Sir Francis Drake's prayer:

Two things I asked of Thee,
Do not refuse me before I die:
Keep deception and lies far from me,
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with the food that is my portion,
Lest I be full and deny Thee and say, "Who is the LORD?"
Or lest I be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God.

So I quickly penned (below) my reactions in poem asking that God would never permit me one moment of wasted life by always forcing me into positions of love and sacrifice. May the Lord be ever gracious unto me.

These I Ask of Thee

(Proverbs 30:7-9)

These I ask of Thee,
Do not refuse me,
Either this day,
And do not delay,
Before I die,
Beg Thee hear my cry.

Let me breathe,
That life here and now,
Comes by Thy grace,
And not by my brow.
That each passing moment,
Is filled with the thought,
"O' by Thy sweet mercy,
I was ransomed and bought".

Let me work,
With honor and care,
To bring but my best,
Leave nothing to spare.
So Christ may be served,
And not just my master,
That He might be pleased,
To save from disaster.

Let me father,
My children as gifts,
Not holding on,
But letting them sift.
As gold through a fire,
And sand through a glass,
With perfect love,
Only Yours to surpass.

Let me shepherd,
Your flock that You love,
Just as Your Son,
With peace like a dove.
To protect and adorn,
From evil that abounds,
And teach from Your mouth,
Your melodious sounds.

Let me husband,
That she may be honored,
Just as Christ's bride,
With sacrifice to garner.
To lay down my life,
Willingly to share,
Not thinking of self,
But only her to care.

Let me live,
To prosper long life,
That I give away,
Less suffering and strife.
What I do not own,
Nor possess for myself,
But given to me,
For Thysake and Thyself.

Let me love,
That others might know,
The cost to Thyself,
For cleansing as snow.
That nothing compares,
To Jesus my King,
When outstretched to die,
His life to me bring.

These I ask of Thee,
Do not refuse me,
Either this day,
And do not delay,
Before I die,
Beg Thee hear my cry.

- TMK