As we are considering what it means to follow as apprentices in the way of Jesus, consider the words of this prayer from The Valley of Vision (p.184)

O my Savior,

                                help me.

I am so slow to learn so prone to forget, so weak to climb;

I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights;

I am pained by my graceless heart,

                                my prayerless days,

                                my poverty of love,

                                my sloth in the heavenly race,

                                my sullied conscience,

                                my wasted hours,

                                my unspent opportunities.

I am blind while light shines around me:

                take the scales from my eyes,

                grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.

Make it my chiefest joy to study thee,

                                                meditate on thee,

                                                gaze on thee,

                                                sit like Mary at thy feet,

                                                lean like John on thy breast,

                                                appeal like Peter to thy love,

                                                count like Paul all things dung.

Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may be

                                more decision in my character,

                                more vigor in my purposes,

                                more elevation in my life,

                                more fervor in my devotion,

                                more constancy in my zeal.

As I have a position in the world,

                keep me from making the world my position;

May I never seek in the creature

                what can be found only in the creator;

Let not faith cease from seeking thee until it vanishes into sight.

Ride forth in me, thou king of kings and lord of lords,

                that I may live victoriously, and in victory attain my end.