The Life of Prayer

Jesus, Thou sovereign Lord of all,
The same through one eternal day;
Attend Thy feeblest follower's call,
And Oh, instruct us how to pray!
Pour out the supplicating grace,
And stir us up to seek Thy face.

We cannot think a gracious thought,
We cannot feel a good desire,
Till Thou, who called a world from nought,
The power into our hearts inspire;
And then we, in Thy Spirit, groan,
And then we give Thee back Thine own.

Jesus, regard the joint complaint,
Of all Thy tempted followers here;
And now supply the common need,
And send us down the Comforter,
The Spirit of ceaseless prayer impart,
And fix Thy Agent in our hearts.

To help our soul's infirmity,
To heal Thy sin-sick people's care,
To urge our God-commanding plea,
And make our hearts a house of prayer,
The promised Intercessor give,
And let us now Thyself receive.

Come in Thy pleading, Spirit, down,
To us who for Thy coming stay;
Of all Thy gifts we ask but one,
We ask the constant power to pray,
Indulge us, Lord, in this request,
Thou canst not then deny the rest.

- Charles Wesley