Language of the soul

No outward observances can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul. {COL 159.3}
Sigh. Contentment. Peace and quiet joy.

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
At the impulse of Thy love;

Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Take my voice and let me sing
Always only for my King;
Always only for my King;

Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold:
Not a mite would I withhold

Take my will, and make it Thine;
It shall be no longer mine:
Take my heart, it is Thine own;
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store:
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Frances Ridley Havergal

Principle of heaven

Unless you accept in your own life the principle of self-sacrificing love, which is the principle of His character, you cannot know God. MB 25
Even His disciples were so blinded by the selfishness of their hearts that they were slow to understand Him who had come to manifest to them the Father’s love. MB 25

Putting this quote and the previous quote together is a sobering combination. Please help me to pull it together in my own mind.
Selfishness blinds my heart from seeing you.
Selfishness sever's my connection with you.
Selfishness makes it impossible to understand the principles of heaven, self-sacrificing love.
Papa Father,
I truly want to know you. I choose to accept into my heart again this morning "the principle of self-sacrificing love ." I am so full of myself that I hardly know what I am asking. I only know that I want it. What ever is the avenue to YOU and YOU alone, I want.
Another thing that I notice in this passage is the word "accept". I cannot strain, stress, and stretch enough or work hard enough for "self sacrificing love"; I can only accept it. Like everything else about YOU, it is a gift that I choose to receive. It is not something that I can find anywhere in the deep recesses of my heart. It simply does not exist and so why strain for something that I do not have? All I can do is choose to accept the gift of love that you offer. That is it. I accept Your gift of love and You place it in my heart. Not only do You place it there but You grow it until it is so big that there is no room for anything else. How cool is that?

Deeper meaning

But the words of Jesus, "Blessed are the pure in heart," have a deeper meaning--not merely pure in the sense in which the world understands purity, free from that which is sensual, pure from lust, but true in the hidden purposes and motives of the soul, free from pride and self-seeking, humble, unselfish, childlike. {MB 25.1}

Shnikey! All of this IAM NOT! Not worldly purity much less heavenly.
I am hopelessly unable to do anything about it. But YOU, YOU can do it. I
choose to keep my eyes focused on YOU and You alone today. You are my only hope.
You will accomplish all in my heart and mind that needs to be done. What would I
do without YOU. sigh. smile. J Contented rest.

Turn your eyes upon
Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow
strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

Adaptation
for me today:

I’ll keep my eyes upon You, Jesus
I’ll look full
in Your WONDERFUL face
And the sins of my heart will grow increasingly
dim
In the light of YOUR glory and grace.

Sweet Peace

There is sweet peace for the compassionate spirit, a blessed satisfaction in the life of self-forgetful service for the good of others. MB 23

Here it is again! The balance that both giving and receiving bring. As I give compassion and self forgetful service, I receive "sweet peace" and "blessed satisfaction". How cool is that? When I am other centered I receive far more than I give. It appears to me that my receiving of peace and satisfaction is in direct proportion to the compassion and self-forgetful service that I give.
Precious Jesus,
I want to have a compassionate heart like yours. Please fill my heart so full that there is no room for anything else other than love and compassion. I have none in me to give and so any compassion that flows from me will be totally from You and You alone.
Change My heart O God
Make it ever new
Change my heart Oh God
May I be like you.

You are the potter, I am the clay
Mold me and make me,
That is what I pray.

Change my heart O God
Make it ever new
Change my heart of God
May I be like You.

Sigh. Happiness. It all comes from you. Only YOU!