O God, be Thou exalted over my possessions.

Nothing of earth’s treasures shall seem dear unto me if only Thou art glorified in my life.

Be Thou exalted over my friendships.

I am determined that Thou shalt be above all, though I must stand deserted and alone in the midst of the earth.

Be Thou exalted above my comforts.

Though it mean the loss of bodily comforts and the carrying of heavy crosses I shall keep my vow made this day before Thee.

Be Thou exalted over my reputation.

Make me ambitious to please Thee even if as a result I must sink into obscurity and my name be forgotten as a dream.

Rise, O Lord, into Thy proper place of honor, above my ambitions, above my likes and dislikes, above my family, my health and even my life itself.

Let me decrease that Thou mayest increase, let me sink that Thou mayest rise above. – A.W. Tozer

This is a very thought provoking prayer by A.W. Tozer who was a Christian pastor and author in the 1920’s – 50’s. This prayer got me to thinking about where I place God in my life.  We all need to realize that the universe does not revolve around “me”.  That God and others matter more than us and  our creature comforts.

This prayer also got me to thinking why do some religious people cling to a now archaic manners of speech? Why don’t we pray the same way we generally talk? I must admit that I “talk” to God many times a day and I never say the words “mayest”, “thou”, or “art”.  I talk to God in the language of my time not those used hundreds of years ago. The language of God is in our thoughts, not the words we speak no matter how archaic they might be.