Lord! smite my rocky heart!
(Thomas Reade, "Christian Meditations") Adorable Jesus! I acknowledge my vileness, my
worthlessness, my ingratitude. With shame and
confusion of face I look up unto you, O bleeding
Lamb, for having slighted your goodness, and
your loving kindness towards me. Take away this earthliness from my mind; this
coldness from my heart; this insensibility to the
things of God. Preserve me from a secret alienation
of heart; from a growing lukewarmness. You are the Rock of Ages, the everlasting Strength.
Endue me with power from on high to overcome all
my indwelling corruptions, which, like a thick cloud,
intervene between my soul and you, the Sun of
Righteousness; and thus prevent the rays of your
consolation from gladdening my heart, and making
me to abound in the fruits of righteousness. To whom can I look, to whom can I go, but unto
You, O Friend of sinners. Lord, at your sweet call,
I come for pardon, peace, and holiness. Lord! I am sorely grieved, that I love you so little;
that my affections move so slowly towards you. Stir up my languid desires. Inflame my cold affections. Set my whole soul on fire with holy love. How painful, that I should be so little affected
by the agony and bloody sweat, the cross and
passion, of my suffering Redeemer. Why is not my soul all on fire, when I think
of your love? Why is it not melted into tears,
when I think of my dying Savior? Am I harder than the rock in Horeb? Am I colder than the northern ice? Lord! smite my rocky heart with the rod of your
loving kindness; dissolve my frozen affections,
by the melting beams of your grace. O! blessed Jesus! I praise you for such infinite love,
such abounding grace to the chief of sinners!