“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God,” (Psalm 42:1-2).
A Brief Introduction
The following prayer is taken from John Fawcett’s (1739-1817) Christ Precious to Those That Believe, published in 1799. This is a classic piece of eighteenth-century Baptist piety. In it, Fawcett addresses the “preciousness of Jesus Christ to the who believe in his name.” It is a subject he considered to be “of the highest importance.” Why? Because “love to the divine Redeemer is the distinguishing characteristic of a real Christian, and most indispensably requisite, in order to our serving God acceptably in this world, and to our dwelling with him in the next.”1
The following prayer is taken from chapter 3, section 4, where Fawcett proposes that “If Christ be precious to us, we shall prefer him to every other object; he will have the chief place in our affections.”
“Reign blessed Jesus”
Reign, blessed Jesus, in my heart, reign supreme, and without a rival. Fain would I love thee above all things in heaven or earth. I see that thou art infinitely glorious in thy own self, and worthy of the highest esteem and love. Thou are the only all-sufficient good, the overflowing spring of grace and blessedness. All things beneath and besides thee are vanity and emptiness. In comparison with thee, they are less than nothing. Hast not thou drawn my heart towards thyself, and made me willing to make choice of thee, as my Savior, and my Portion? I would renounce all that the world calls good or great, that I may be entirely thine. Be thou my everlasting inheritance, and I shall want nothing that a whole world of creatures can bestow. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and what is there on earth that I desire in comparison of thee?
I am but a stranger in this world, wherever I may be situated, or however I may happen to be distinguished. And surely, it is my privilege that I am so. When I look not upon myself as a stranger and a pilgrim, when I am captivated with any thing in this place of my exile, I forget myself, and act far beneath my character, as a candidate for an immortal crown.
I hope I have counted the cost of being one of thy disciples; I hope I have laid in the balance all that with which this world can flatter me, and compared it with the gain of godliness. The odds I find to be infinite. I would therefore bid adieu to the gaudy pomps and empty vanities of life, and give my heart to heaven. I hear the voice of infinite mercy directing me to set my affection on things above. I would obey the celestial Monitor. What can present scenes afford, to tempt me to relinquish the choice I have been enabled to make! What can they offer, as an equivalent to his favour, whose smiles enlighten the realms of bliss, and fill all the inhabitants of heaven with unbounded and everlasting delight!2
Amen.
