December 31, 1855.
The last day of the year 1855-a year characterized by many severe trials,
many sore temptations,
and innumerable mercies.
In some things, it closes differently to what I expected but how differently it may have closed!
I might have been in Hell!
O terrible thought!
I might have been on a sick bed, tormented with excruciating pain, or reduced to a state of infantile weakness.
I might have been in great and sore troubles, tossed with tempests, and not comforted.
I might have been without a pastorate and without a loving people.
Or I might have been guilty of some heinous sin, lost my character, and been a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth!
Blessed forever blessed be the Lord-that such is not my case!
My health is good,
my hope in Christ is steady,
my congregation good, and
I trust the Lord will yet work a great work by me.
And now, Lord, I desire to confess before you the sins of this past year:
I have sinned with my tongue-and with my temper.
I have sinned in my heart-and in my life. I have omitted duties.
I have committed sins.
My motives have often been impure.
My aims have not been sufficiently high and holy.
I have been impatient, fretful, irritable, rash, jealous, envious, discontented and ungrateful.
O may the blood of Jesus wash out every stain!
I renounce all hope-but what centers in Jesus!
I have no refuge, no hiding-place, no strong tower, no place of safety-but Jesus.
Christ in His person,
Christ in His finished work,
Christ in His glorious intercession-
is all my hope, all my confidence, all my joy!
I am His servant-and wish to serve Him alone.
I am His subject-and wish to be ruled by Him alone.
I am His purchased property-and wish to be consecrated entirely, eternally, and altogether to Him!
[James Smith]
✫❤•°*”˜˜”*°•❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫...•°*”˜˜”*°•.❤✫
