I have declared, O Father God, your awesome greatness many times;

   Yet, I have lived as though you are small, my words mere spoken lines.

In the midst of your almighty power and abundance I have known lack;

   Surely as a child of yours this does not make sense, but it has been a fact.

Indeed your love my eyes did open, to see that I have limited you in many ways.

   What can I say? for I have bound your giving hands, and in your realm the gift stays.

No wrong can be found in you, Father, to promote mistrust in me.

   To my own heart I looked and there doubt and unbelief I did see.

Incline thine ears to me, O LORD: free me from unbelief that generates limitation.

   Cleanse me from this inbred mistrust of you, and bring purification.

The testimony of your Spirit in me says you are powerfully real;

   But the release of your greatness to me, a lie did steal.

Why did I heed the voice that said you cannot, will not perform your Word?

   For my heart needs to be established in the truth I have heard.

A revelation is unfolding: if there is no truth there is no lie;

   For a lie can only be forged when truth exists, O for this truth I cry.

I perceive then that a lie proves the truth to be so.

   If there were no truth, would there be a lie that the adversary could show?

I weep in repentance for speaking one thing and living another;

   Forgive me for presenting this small image of you before the world and my brother.

I am truly sorry for believing a lie that limits and grieves you,

    When with love and power, more for me you would truly do.

The revelation unfolds and I see I have also limited myself;

   Those gifts and abilities to be exercised, I said I couldn’t do and put them on a shelf.

In this I accused you of an inadequate decision when in me

   gifts you did deposit:   This is why so often in the face of responsibility I hid in the closet.

I choose the removal of the limitations which on you I have placed;

   To move by an aggressive faith to the realm where I have been graced.

No longer will I view you or myself from my dim eyes,

   But from your view and thought, where limitation dies.

O! for faith to increase, this character of you in me form;

   I would please you this way, and your will  perform.

In your presence I announce, “I trust you, LORD, with me,” and rest;

   For awesome you are in my need, in my tribulation, and in the test.

Of your greatness I will no longer merely sing in a song:

   I will walk in it, experience it; for this is where I belong.

To set no limits to overcome to live in faith towards thee;

   This I truly desire, expect, and believe will be.

“How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!  Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”  Psa. 78:40-41

“I will cry unto God, most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.  He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up.  Selah.  God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. .”   Psa. 57:2-3

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed:  I will sing and give praise.”  Psa. 57:7

John L. Parault

December 19, 1996