Morning prayer · 18 April

Seek you above all

A compass or scale sits on a table with many small trinkets (coins, toys, baubles) piled on one side, but the needle ignores them all and points steadily toward a single plain star drawn above, with the words “seek you above all” lettered by hand.

God, make me strong by the grace of your Holy Spirit. Make me strong inside, and free my heart from pointless worry and trouble. Don’t let me be pulled away by all kinds of wants, for anything at all, small or great. Help me see everything as passing away, and myself passing away with it. Lord, give me wisdom from heaven, so that I learn to look for you above everything and find you, to enjoy you above everything and love you, and to understand everything else as it really is, in the order your wisdom has given it. Amen.

I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,

Ephesians 3:16 (BSB)

Adapted from Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (tr. William Benham, 1874), in plain words. The verse is from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). Drawing: Mutter.