Arthur Bennett (1)

The Valley of Vision is a collection of Puritan prayers that celebrate, mourn, beg, rejoice, teach, confess, inspire, confirm, question, hope, implore, grieve, sing, and plead. They give voice to the complex experience of Christians through the centuries, living as foreigners and pilgrims in the world. This volume is a treasure of rich theology and heartfelt devotion, and I'm so thankful for Arthur G. Bennett's work in compiling and editing these prayers for a modern audience.

The Puritans show more are often unfairly cast as a set of stern-faced men who were legalistic and militant in their religious dogma. But there is much more to them than the popular grim image. In these poetic, deeply felt prayers, such authors as Thomas Watson, Richard Baxter, John Bunyan, Isaac Watts, David Brainerd, Charles Spurgeon, and others pour out their hearts to God. They do this, moreover, with a theological precision often lacking from other such devotional works. The result is a powerful collection of prayers that both comfort and instruct the heart.

I appreciate how Bennett does not tag each prayer with its author's name. It would be distracting to me if he had, because I'd think about the man who wrote the prayer rather than the God to Whom it is addressed.

The prayers are not all of equal literary quality; some have phrases that lived with me for days after reading them, while of others I have no particular remembrance. Some of the prayers are so beautifully expressed, so poetic, that I lingered in them, reluctant to move on to the next prayer, allowing it to permeate my prayer life for days at a time. Other prayers, while no doubt heartfelt and sincere, I found more forgettable.

The level of honesty with which the writers assess their own hearts is matched only by the joy and comfort they derive from looking to Jesus out of their own weakness. Though the specific themes vary, the style and content of the prayers are well represented by the title piece, "The Valley of Vision":

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
they life in my death,
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty,
thy glory in my valley.

What else can I add to this? It is my heart's cry. I'll be reading and praying through this book for the rest of my life. show less

Incredible collection of prayers! I read this as part of my morning devos this year - 1-2 poems/day - and found it compelling, convicting, insightful, and scriptural. Definitely a go-to of mine now!

Have you ever heard someone pray and said to yourself, "I wish I could pray like that?" It was not ornate words or fresh expressions that caught your attention. No, it was something else -- there was something worshipful and availing in the prayer that transported you to the throne of God. Such are the puritan prayers in The Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett (2009).

The prayers in this book fit my definition of best practices, to wit, practical techniques gained from observation and show more experience that others may use to improve internal processes.

The concept of best practices originated in the mundane world of business management and soon expanded to include sales, manufacturing, and programming software. Before long, best practices made their way into other commonplace domains, such as, teaching/education, performance engineering, pollution control, local governance, road construction, health care, insurance, accounting, and so on. But long before any of these everyday best practices were conceived and published, puritan prayers had already passed the test of time to become standards of excellence in the sphere of Christian devotions.

These are the prayers of mortal men rising above their frailty: Richard Baxter, David Brainerd, John Bunyan, Philip Doddridge, Christmas Evans, William Jay, Henry Law, William Romain, Thomas Shepard, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Augustus M. Toplady, Thomas Watson, Isaac Watts, and William Williams -- puritans all.

Please take this review as a challenge. Try reading the following puritan prayer in the absence of spiritual feeling. If you are a devoted believer, I daresay it can't be done.

Evening Praise

Giver of all,
another day is ended and I take my place beneath my great redeemer's cross,
where healing streams continually descend,
where balm is poured into every wound,
where I wash anew in the all-cleansing blood,
assured that Thou seest in me no spots of sin.

Yet a little while and I shall go to Thy home and be no more seen;
help me to gird up the loins of my mind,
to quicken my step,
to speed as if each moment were my last,
that my life be joy,
my death glory.

I thank Thee for the temporal blessings of this world—
the refreshing air,
the light of the sun,
the food that renews strength,
the raiment that clothes,
the dwelling that shelters,
the sleep that gives rest,
the starry canopy of night,
the summer breeze,
the flowers' sweetness,
the music of flowing streams,
the happy endearments of family, kindred, friends.

Things animate,
things inanimate,
minister to my comfort.

My cup runs over.

Suffer me not to be insensible to these daily mercies.

Thy hand bestows blessings:
Thy power averts evil.

I bring my tribute of thanks for spiritual graces,
the full warmth of faith,
the cheering presence of Thy Spirit,
the strength of Thy restraining will,
Thy spiking of hell's artillery.

Blessed be my sovereign Lord!

The Valley of Vision, 224-225. show less

A beautiful collection of historical devotions. A treasure trove of spiritual wisdom that transcends time and culture.