S: I love the cry to God Austen begins with because it’s such a wonderful reminder not only of God’s might and power, but also of His love and gentleness. Beginning a prayer in this way is a meditation on His character and quiets the soul.

R: As always, Jane’s words are beautiful and reverent, a wonderful example of what a Christian’s prayer life should look like.

S: And, the words of this prayer are full of a desire to better follow the example of Christ and have more understanding and wisdom as we seek to know God better. 

R: I like how she says, ‘dispose our Hearts in fervent prayer.’ This is something that’s missing from most Christians’ lives. I know I’ve often struggled with spending time in prayer.

S: Isn’t it sad that one of the easiest things to do to help our hearts draw nearer to the Lord is also one of the most difficult? I wonder if it’s because it’s something that never ends. The person we’re helping or mentoring may one day no longer need or want our help. There are tasks we must complete throughout the day so we can’t just sit and read Scripture 24/7; we need to make reading it a priority. Prayer, however, is something we’re told to always do (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), something that needs to never cease. As a person who enjoys lists and being able to see progress from one task to the next, sometimes it’s difficult for me to have a continual dialogue going with the Lord because it’s not something I can just check off the list; it’s not something that ever ends so it can be challenging to see change. 

I notice, too, that the thankfulness which permeates this final prayer is humbling. The rest of the prayer is such an honest cry for continued mercies I find myself chastened in spirit to bring everything to Him in reverence. I’ve mentioned before the veneration with which Austen addresses God and how often I lack that in my prayer life. She encompasses everything so delicately, so fully, that even though the prayers are short, they cover all that is needed to be covered. I don’t think it’s wrong to pray specifically for a person or a situation, but since it appears this would be a prayer prayed at the end of the day, there’s an understanding that all of those specifics have already been given to Him and left in His hands.

R: The part that I found the most impactful was this: ‘May thy mercy be extended over all Mankind, bringing the Ignorant to the knowledge of thy Truth, awakening the Impenitent, touching the Hardened.’ God draws His own to Him, because, “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ (Romans 3.10-12) 

Even though I had a more difficult time connecting with this prayer than I did with the previous two, Jane’s words are always reverent and uplifting, causing us to think about our own Christian walks and what they should look like.

One of the verses mentioned in the devotional is Psalm 100:4. The entire psalm speaks of how God is worthy of glory and praise.