A prayer from The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions

Lord Jesus, may I walk in the steps of the Savior who is meek and lowly in spirit, who humbled Himself to take on flesh to live our life and die the death we deserved. May I choose to be poor in spirit. May I esteem all others as better than myself. May I not seek to impress others, but only to please others, but only to please You. May I decrease, and may be Christ be magnified.

O, Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, let us learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit . . . that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess everything, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown . . . that to give is to receive.

Let us find Thy light in our darkness, Thy joy in our sorrow, Thy grace in our sin, Thy riches in our poverty, Thy glory in our valleys, and Thy life in our death.