Ezra 8:21-23
“There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.  I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, ‘The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him.’  So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.”

Jeremiah 9:23b-24
“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.”

Galatians 6:14
“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

All power, wisdom and matchless majesty is yours, O God.

What can we claim that is not a benefit from your hand?  Yet surpassing all is the wonder of how you stoop low to allow us to gaze upon you.

Fill us with awe and delight that our Lover has laid down his life for us.  May we boast only in your accomplished work to prove to all people the faithfulness of your name.

For Christ’s sake, who preserved the integrity of your word by becoming the protection from our great Enemy, we come boldly before your throne.

Listen to ‘When I Survey the Wondrous Cross’ by Ordinary Time