The contemplation of divine gifts from the most beautiful garden of Heaven and the Church is like gathering together a bouquet of fragrant flowers. The scent of these blooms refreshes the spirit and calls forth from us the sacrifice of lips of praise, a sweet smell to God. These immeasurable and countless divine gifts may be considered according to the three articles of the Christian faith. God has created, redeemed, and sanctified us. He showers us in this life with the greatest gifts. He promises even more for eternal life. He gives us gifts of grace; He deprives and withholds evil from us. In short, we can grasp neither in word nor in thought the number and worth of those divine gifts which will be the most abundant subject of eternal praise in the coming life. (The Daily Exercise of Piety by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, p.30)

(Continued)  All the powers of my soul, all the members of my body, are Your gifts. I should have been prepared to offer You the holy service I owed to You with all the powers of my soul, and with all the members of my body. But I have made them—O! what cause for sorrow!—I have made them tools for unrighteousness and evil. Yours is the breath which I draw. Yours is the air which I breathe. Yours is the sun, whose light I behold every day. All these should have been for me aids and tools for a holy life. But I have turned them—what sorrow!—into servants of sin. Creation was to be used for the glory of the Creator, but unfortunately, I have misused it for His dishonor. The armor of light was to be put on in the light of the sun, but in the sun’s light I have committed works of darkness [Rom. 13:12]. Whatever time is added to my life is given to me out of Your kindness. Therefore my whole life should have been devoted to You, from Whom all of it comes. But not even the smallest part of my life has been devoted to You in holy service. As often as I have sensed what is good and right to do, just as often have I failed to follow through and turned away from service to You. By these impulses I was most kindly invited to return to You through repentance. But O!, how often have I harshly shunned their most loving encouragement!

Receive the one who now at last returns to You with groaning and a contrite heart. Sprinkle me with the blood of Your Son, so that I may be cleansed whiter than snow [Psa. 51:7] from all the filthiness of my flesh and spirit [2 Cor. 7:1], and may praise You eternally with all the elect, Amen. (The Daily Exercise of Piety by Johann Gerhard, Repristination Press, p.26-27)