FULLNESS IN CHRIST

O God,

hou hast taught me
that Christ has all the fullness and
so all the plentitude of the Spirit,
that all fullness I lack in myself is in him,
for his people, not for himself alone,
he having perfect knowledge, grace,
righteousness,
to make me see,
to make me righteous,
to give me fullness;
that it is my duty, out of a sense of emptiness,
to go to Christ, possess, enjoy his fullness
as mine,
as if I had it in myself, because it is
for me in him;
that when I do this I am full of the Spirit,
as a fish that has got from the shore to the sea
and has all fullness of waters to move in,
for when faith fills me, then I am full;
that this is the way to be filled with the Spirit,
like Stephen, first faith, then fullness,
for this way makes me most empty,
and so most fit for the Spirit to fill.
Thou hast taught me that the finding of
this treasure of all grace in the field of Christ
begets strength, joy, glory,
and renders all graces alive.
Help me to delight more in what I recieve
from Christ,
more in that fullness which is in him,
the fountain of all his glory.
Let me not think to receive the Spirit from him
as a ‘thing’
apart from finding, drinking, being filled
with him.
To this end, O God,
do thou establish me I Christ,
settle me, give me a being there,
assure me with certainty that all this is mine,
for this only will fill my heart with joy
and peace.

—from The Valley of Vision, Arthur Bennett, editor (Banner of Truth Trust, 2002).

Psalme 96 (Geneva Bible)

1 Sing vnto the Lorde a newe song: sing vnto the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing vnto the Lorde, and prayse his Name: declare his saluation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among all nations, and his wonders among all people.
4 For the Lorde is great and much to be praysed: he is to be feared aboue all gods.
5 For all the gods of the people are idoles: but the Lord made the heauens.
6 Strength and glory are before him: power and beautie are in his Sanctuarie.
7 Giue vnto the Lorde, ye families of the people: giue vnto the Lord glory and power.
8 Giue vnto the Lord the glory of his Name: bring an offering, and enter into his courtes.
9 Worship the Lord in the glorious Sanctuarie: tremble before him all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, The Lorde reigneth: surely the world shalbe stable, & not moue, and he shall iudge the people in righteousnesse.
11 Let the heauens reioyce, and let the earth be glad: let the sea roare, and all that therein is.
12 Let the field be ioyfull, and all that is in it: let all the trees of the wood then reioyce
13 Before the Lord: for he commeth, for he cometh to iudge the earth: he wil iudge the world with righteousnes, and the people in his trueth.

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