The following prayer was found in Vince Morris’s well-worn Bible and printed for the bulletin in the bulletin for his memorial service on June 30, 2012. Vincent Morris was vice president of student affairs at Biola University for more than 20 years and an admired Bible teacher at the Evangelical Free Church in Huntington Beach and Bethany Bible Fellowship. I’d like to adopt this for myself.
Forbid Lord that my roots become too firmly attached to this earth, that I should fall in love with things. Help me to understand that the pilgrimage of this life is but an introduction, preface, a training school for what is to come. Then shall I see all of life in its true perspective. Then shall I not fall in love with the things of time, but come to love the things that endure. Then shall I be saved from the tyranny of possessions which I have no leisure to enjoy, of property whose care becomes a burden. Give me the courage, I pray, to simplify my life. So may I be mature in my faith, childlike but never childish, humble but never cringing, understanding but never conceited. So help me, O God, to live and not merely to exist, that I may have your joy in my life and in my work. In your name who alone can give me joy, peace, balance and zest for living the Christ-filled life, I pray. – Vince Morris 3/06/93