At First I Prayed for Light

At first I prayed for light:

Could I but see the way

How glad­ly

swift­ly would I walk

To ev­er­last­ing day!

And next I prayed for strength:

That I might tread the road

With firm

un­fal­ter­ing feet

and win

The heav­ens’ se­rene abode.

And then I prayed for faith:

Could I but trust my God

I’d live in­fold­ed in His peace

Though foes were all abroad.

But now I pray for love:

Deep love to God and man;

A liv­ing love that will not fail

However dark His plan.

And light and strength and faith

Are op­en­ing ev­ery­where!

God wait­ed pa­tient­ly un­til

I prayed the larg­er pray­er.