Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Tuesday Prayer Blogging

A westward looking panorama of Albuquerque
December 29 2005


Almighty God, the giver of wisdom, without whose help resolutions are vain, without whose blessing study is ineffectual; enable me, if it be your will, to attain such knowledge as may qualify me to direct the doubtful, and instruct the ignorant; to prevent wrongs and terminate contentions; and grant that I may use that knowledge which I shall attain to your glory and my own salvation, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

-Samuel Johnson, English writer and lexicographer


[From The Communion of the Saints: Prayers of the Famous, ed. Horton Davies]
--the BB

6 comments:

Jane R said...

Did you know I needed this?

Thank you.

(See my Epiphany resolution(s) post... or perhaps you had.)

Paul said...

I had not idea, of course, but it seems the Spirit knew as I was thumbing through the book last night looking for a prayer.

Love the photo of the tree. Blessings on resolutions.

June Butler said...

I seems old Sam was a good pray-er. I visited the pub that he frequented in London at the insistence of our friend, the professor of English. I saw his favorite booth at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. I can't say that I thought the food was great, but it was good to inhabit the same space as Johnson - even centuries later.

Paul, when I first began to read your blog, I did not know that you were a priest. I was a little daunted when I found that out. Would I have left different comments? I don't know. Anyway, now I know.

Paul said...

Oh dear, Mimi, you should never let clerics daunt you. We are a disreputable and fallen lot, full of opinions and even more hot air. Mercifully, God is faithful and uses us from time to time.

I much prefer to think that your comments for me would be the same no matter what. I take it as a compliment that you did not know.

Kirstin said...

Amen. (I needed that too.)

Fran said...

Well not to sound like copy-cat commenter, but I was flooded with how much I loved the image and then how much I needed the prayer with my new life unfolding before me.

Thank you.