Forgive the weakness of our prayer, forgive the wandering of our heart: but through the Well-Beloved, who stands before you now in all his beauty, as risen from the dead; through him whom our soul loves, even as you love him; through him whom we adore as “God over all, blessed for ever,” though bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh—through him and for his sake, look kindly on us now!
Amen.
Bless our brethren across the sea of another land, but who, with the same tongue, worship our Lord in spirit and in truth; and our brethren on the southern side of the globe, and all the scattered saints in every nation, visit them with the bedewing of the Holy Ghost; and make the gardens of the Lord amidst the desert to be green, and blossom as the rose.
Now help us this morning, give to everyone a sense of pardoned sin: forgive us, O Father, for Christ’s sake! Give to each one of us also, sanctifying power, that we may be cleansed from the influence of guilt. Give power in the delivery of the gospel. May the truth sink into the soul, and may this be a good and happy, devout and beneficial occasion, to all of us here gathered. We ask it for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Oh Lord, we are reminded of what we were, and we would begin our praise by the acknowledgment of our natural condition; we would remember the miry clay, and the rock out of which we were hewn, for we were “by nature children of wrath even as others.” Well do we remember when we felt this, and when the bitterness and gall were in our mouths, of which we had to drink both day and night.
How heavy was the load of sin! All our thoughts were engrossed with that sense of pressure and of dread. We looked on the right hand and there was none, and on the left and we found no helper; but then you yourself delivered us by leading us to cast a faith-look to your divine, only begotten, and crucified Son.
O God, suffer us to intercede with you a moment for our unconverted ones. Give us to feel great sorrow and heaviness of heart for those who, as yet, are far off from God: Lord, bring them in. O God, awaken the careless and frivolous—there may be such here this morning, who have never given any solemn consideration to the matters of their soul. May they be awakened and aroused today; and while we set forth the way of salvation by grace, may they feel their need of it, and be willing to accept it; and may the Lord save them this day.
May any that are anxious, but are missing the mark, looking to themselves instead of to Christ, learn the way of life and run in it. Save them, O God; yes, save this people. Let all who we will come in contact with this week be within the Temple gates above at the last. May every congregation of the faithful everywhere, be under the Divine blessing.
May the laws of the King of Peace be universally proclaimed, and obeyed even by those who perhaps yield not their hearts to his sway; for we do know, great King, that while you have a special kingdom in your people, the Lord has given you power over all flesh; and we pray this may be recognized, and we may see it.
Your kingdom come, O Jesus; may your kingdom come—your Father’s kingdom; and let his will be done on earth as it is in heaven; for your’s is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.
Oh God, most high and glorious, the thought of your infinite serenity has often cheered us; for we are toiling and moiling, troubled and distressed here below, beneath the moon; but you sit forever in perfect happiness. Your designs cause you no care or fear; for you will surely carry them out. Your purposes stand fast as the eternal hills: Your power knows no bound, your goodness no stint. You bring order out of confusion, and our defeats are but your victories. We sow in tears, but you see us reap in joy. Our everlasting felicity is present to you, even while groans and mourning are our present lot.
Sanctify us in our households. May we go in and out before Thee showing the name and nature of Christ. Help us in our business, that in all we do among our fellow men we may act as Christ would have us act. Strengthen us in secret; there may we be mighty in prayer. Guard us in public, that neither in act nor word we may slip away from Thee.Above all, cast cords of love around our hearts. Oh, hold us, Saviour, never let us go! Suffer no professed Christian here ever to violate the loyalty of his obedience to his King. May those dear wounds of His have more sawy over us than ever silver sceptre had over the subjects of earthly princes. May we feel that if He drank for us the vinegar and gall, whatever cup He sets before us we will cheerfully drink. Rule us, Saviour, rule us, we beseech Thee. And let no believer here violate the chastity of his heart to the Beloved of his soul.
It is long since then with some of us, but all the way has been strewn with mercies, and we desire this morning to record, “Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” We thank you now in the retrospect for the trials which we have endured. Some of us have been brought very low with physical pain and mental weariness, and others have been sore smitten with bereavement, losses and crosses, and persecutions, but there is not one out of all our trials which we could have afforded to have been without.
No, Lord, all has been ordered well, there was a need be for every twig of the rod, and we desire now to thank you that we can see in looking back, how all things have even now worked together for good, though we know we cannot see the end as yet.
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
O Lord, our God, how excellent is your name in all the earth! Some of us have to thank you for many mercies bestowed. We thank you for them, for we feel that we are entirely in your hands in all respects.
Others of us have been brought very low, bruised full sore, but having a little strength remaining, we desire to praise and bless the giver of every gift.
You are good when you give, and
You are good when you take away.
You are good when the night gathers heavy about us.
You are good when the sun shines and gladdens our pathway.
You are always good and do good, and blessed be the name of the Lord from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof, and through the night watches let his praise be still celebrated.
Amen.
