Fullness In Christ

O GOD,

Thou hast taught me
        that Christ has all fullness and
    so all plenitude 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 receive
    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 in 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.

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