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Dr. Craig Wansink

A Week of Praying with John Calvin

Growing together through the words of “the father of Presbyterianism”


Monday

PRAYING WITH CALVIN:  “Grant, Almighty God, that as you shine on us by your word, we may not be blind at mid-day, nor willfully seek darkness, and thus lull our minds asleep: but that exercising ourselves in your word, we may stir up ourselves more and more to present ourselves, and all our  pursuits, as a sacrifice to you, that you may peaceably rule, and perpetually dwell in us, through  Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”


CALVIN’S REFLECTION FOR THE DAY:  

“All the blessings we enjoy are Divine deposits, committed to our trust on this condition, that they should be dispensed for the benefit of our neighbors.”


Tuesday

PRAYING WITH CALVIN:  “Grant, Almighty God, that as we set up against you so many obstacles, that we seem as it were to be designedly striving to close up the door against your goodness and favor, grant that our hearts may be so softened by your Spirit, that we may submit ourselves to you with genuine openness, especially as you so kindly and tenderly invite us to yourself, that being allured by your sweet invitation, we may run, and so run as not to be weary in our course, until Christ shall at length bring us together to you. Amen.”


CALVIN’S REFLECTION FOR THE DAY:

“Some men excel in keenness; others are superior in judgment; still others have a readier wit to learn this or that art. In this variety God commends his grace to us, lest anyone should claim as his own what flowed from the sheer bounty of God.”


Wednesday

PRAYING WITH CALVIN:  “Grant, Almighty God, that as we are in this life subject to so many miseries, and in the meantime grow insensible in our sins, O grant that we may learn to search ourselves, that we may be really humbled before you, that we may be thus led to a genuine feeling of repentance, and so strive to be reconciled to you in Christ, that we may wholly depend on your paternal love, and thus ever aspire to your goodness and that immeasurable kindness which you testify is ready and offered to all those, who with a sincere heart call upon you. Amen.”


CALVIN’S REFLECTION FOR THE DAY:

“Let us not cease to do the utmost, that we may incessantly go forward in the way of the Lord; and let us not despair of the smallness of our accomplishments.”


Thursday

PRAYING WITH CALVIN:  “Almighty God, since by our dullness we are so intent upon the earth, even when you stretch forth your hand to us, we cannot attain you.  Grant that being attracted upwards by your Spirit, we may learn to raise our senses heavenward and to strive against our sluggishness, until you may be so perfectly known to us, that at length we may attain to the full and perfect glory, laid up for us in heaven by Christ our Lord.  Amen.”



Friday

PRAYING WITH CALVIN:  “Grant, Almighty God, that as you appear not now to us in shadows and types, as formerly to the holy fathers, but clearly and plainly in your only-begotten Son, -- O grant, that we may be wholly given to the contemplation of your image, which thus shines before us; and that we may in such a manner be transformed into it, as to make increasing advances, until at length we are fully conformed to that pure and perfect holiness which dwells in Christ. Amen.”


CALVIN’S REFLECTION FOR THE DAY:

“God tolerates even our stammering, and pardons our ignorance whenever something inadvertently escapes us - as, indeed, without this mercy there would be no freedom to pray.”


Saturday

PRAYING WITH CALVIN:  “Grant, Almighty God, that as we have not only been created by you, but when you have placed us in this world, you have also enriched us with abundance of all blessings, O grant, that we may not transfer to others the glory due to you.  May we make ourselves open to you, and not give ourselves up to our own devices, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”


Sunday

PRAYING WITH CALVIN:  “Grant, Almighty God, that we may learn to be humble before you, and that we may not deceive ourselves by such allurements as commonly prevail, to put our hope in creatures or in this world, but raise our minds upwards to you, and fix on you our hearts, and never doubt, but that when you embrace us with your paternal love, we shall have no other needs. Amen.”


CALVIN’S REFLECTION FOR THE DAY:

“However many blessings we expect from God, His infinite liberality will always exceed all our wishes and our thoughts.”

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