The Prayer of Francis of Assisi has been on my mind a lot lately. I particularly like the song by the Ragamuffin Band that is based on this prayer. Honestly, I have no idea if Francis, who was born in the twelfth century, actually penned the prayer, but I find it to be a good reflection of my heart’s desire when my heart is set on Christ.
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The thought of being an instrument in the hand of Mighty God ought to excite the soul of a child of God. The Apostle Paul considered this to be an honorable pursuit. He wrote in 2 Timothy 2:21, “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” In His divine wisdom our Heavenly Father uses human vessels to perform works of grace and mercy in the lives of others, but only if we have allowed ourselves to be formed into useful instruments by the Spirit of God and the Word of God.
Let us not settle for being broken and worthless vessels when we can be fine-tuned instruments of the Divine Master. Let us not shrink back from Kingdom service and instead allow the King to wield us as an instrument of His love. Maybe you think you are only an ordinary instrument without any special usefulness. If so, you are missing the point. The chisel in my toolbox is only a tool of destruction in my hand. However, in the hand of a master craftsman, the same chisel is an instrument of precision and quality. Remember this: Our usefulness for “every good work” is never as much about the instrument (us) as it is about the One controlling the instrument (God).
So, what is your prayer today? Would you dare offer up the prayer of Francis and risk be taken up as an instrument in the hand of God? As you surrender to Him, may He use each of you far beyond what you could imagine.