This collect comes down to us from the Leonine Sacramentary, which Reed dates from the fifth century. It offers us both a stunning and realistic confession of human impotence, and a powerful and glorious faith in divine grace (the Council of Orange looming large in the background?):
...that we, who cannot do anything that is good without You may be enabled by You to live according to Your will.
"Apart from me," our Lord reminds us "you can do nothing." And with Him? "I can do all things through Him which strengtheneth me."
What a blessed prayer for us to be praying this week!
This beautiful prayer gives me strength each day. Pastor Weedon, thank you for reminding us of how needful we are as sinners. Needful for the grace, mercy, and peace of our God who died to save us.
ReplyDelete*In Him* we find our strength and comfort each day.
Praise be to God.