Your Constancy is greater than my fickleness - Part Three

A psalm of Robert the servant of the LORD, a prayer for a heart that is single-minded and free from deceit. To the Gregorian chant Veni Creator Spiritus. (Musicians: Shirley Richards, Helen Rees (violin), Chian Lewis-Lim, Cathie Muncey (viola), Corinne Frost, Jo Garcia, Anna Frazer (cello), Geth Griffiths (double bass), Amy Roberts (oboe), Fontane Liang (harp), Beth Davies (bassoon), Phil Steventon (percussion)) I know my fickle nature, Lord God, and fear the damage it can do – not least the dishonour I bring Your name when I claim You as my Lord and God but fail to reflect Your likeness. My body will only last so long, but my soul will remain forever. Forgive the many times when my patience grows threadbare thin, and my faith begins to wilt. Grant rather that I learn to possess my soul with patience. (Luke 21:19) Come, heal deluded deceitful hearts for which, in worldly terms, there is no cure. Attend to that sour-edged brittleness that so often surrounds and accompanies fickle hearts, and which finds new ways to impose its tyrannical constraints on others. Lift the deadweight of fickleness from their hearts I pray, and set free any I have unwittingly hurt and imposed upon. Then make of my heart a shining beacon of light, brim-filled with the treasures of eternity. ‘Batter my heart, Three-Person’d God, for You as yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; that we may rise and stand.’ (John Donne) For though my capricious ways cry out against me, You are the same Lord whose nature is always to have mercy, and whose constancy far outweighs my fickle ways. Look not upon my failure to reform, but upon Your own steadfast faithfulness; for Your faithfulness reaches to the heavens, and extends into the furthermost corners of Your still expanding universe. Brittle times are revealing times, so build true to plumb in me, Oh Great Refiner. Heed not my foolish fickle words but honour each true intention to honour You, And implant such resilience in my heart that it can ride out the tremors when fierce oppressions bear down that shake the very ground of my being. For have You not said: ‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen and uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Is. 41:10) Enfold me in Your love and strengthen my knees to move again with renewed vigour. I give You now all the fumbles that make my heart stumble, And most especially those issues that I name before You now . . . Selah I give these things to You now, Lord God, and ask You to shine Your light in and root them out so that I can grow upright toward You, setting my will afresh to seek Your face.