During the month of March, I am forming a bouquet of blog posts using a variety of “roses” that will be formed with these petals from the basket : (1) a quotation, (2) a daily verse, (3) a devotional thought, (4) a book dealing with that day’s topic, and (5) an idea to put into practice!
Petal 1: “O holy and blessed Trinity, let me now so dwell in the mystery of this heavenly love that all hatred and malice may be rooted out from my heart and life. Let me love Thee, as Thou didst first love me; and in loving Thee let me love also my neighbour; and in loving Thee and my neighbour in Thee let me be saved from all false love of myself; and to Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be all glory and praise for ever.” —John Baillie, A Diary of Private Prayer (“Nineteenth Day”)
Petal 2: “If your gift is serving others, serve them well; if you are a teacher, teach well.” (Romans 12:7, NLT)
Petal 3: In college, I had the unique privilege of taking a course in music history from a music scholar extraordinaire. He knew everything about music—and I mean everything—but he taught us much more than historical facts: he taught us that loving God from the depths of our souls was the most important lesson of all. Along with a ginormous book containing the history of music through the ages, we were required to buy A Diary of Private Prayer and take it with us to every class session. I still have my well-worn copy (the original copyright is 1949—twenty-six years before a similar style of book, The Valley of Vision, was published), and through the years, I have often spoken in private the prayers it contains. My former professor is praising the Lord in person now, but in caring first and foremost about my walk with God, his influence will continue in the form of a lasting impact far deeper than my knowledge of music history.
Petal 4: John Baillie’s A Diary of Private Prayer is a book that you will use throughout your lifetime and that will change the way you pour out your heart to the Lord in prayer.
Petal 5: Present your heart’s deepest needs, longings, and thoughts of worship to the Lord in the form of a written prayer today.