one more year....

as i was reading this morning, i read a prayer in the valley of vision called "lord's day eve." i have read it many times before, especially on saturday nights, but for some reason the lord had me flip to it today. as i read it, i replaced the week references with year references and suddenly the prayer meant a lot to me on this birthday. here it is (it helps me to read it outloud - i can understand it better):

lord's day eve
god of the passing hour,
another [year] has gone and i have been preserved
in my going out,
in my coming in.
thine has been the vigilance that has turned threatened evils aside;
thine the supplies that have nourished me;
thine the relations and friends that have delighted me;
thine the book, which, amidst all my enjoyments, has told me that this is not my rest,
that in all my successes one thing alone is needful, to love my saviour.
nothing can equal the number of thy mercies by my imperfections and sins.
these, o god, i will neither conceal nor palliate, but confess with a broken heart.
in what condition would secret reviews of my life leave me
were it not for the assurance that with thee there is plenteous redemption, that thou are a forgiving god, that thou mayest be feared!
while i hope for pardon through the blood of the cross,
i pray to be clothed with humility,
to be quickened in thy way,
to be more devoted to thee,
to keep the end of my life in view,
to be cured of the folly of delay and indecision,
to know how frail i am,
to number my days and apply my heart unto wisdom.

what a great prayer and reminder for me. i have been preserved one more year. i have been given one more year to make his name known, to bring him glory and fame. it is great to celebrate the faithfulness of the lord of this past year and to look to how i can be a banner for his name this next year. i hope that amidst all of the birthday fun celebration, i can remember that i am celebrating his goodness and getting charged up for another year of it!