Prayer CXLIX

O Lord our God, help us, we pray Thee, to love Thee with all our hearts and minds, and to live in accordance with our supreme love. Give us day by day the consciousness that Thou lovest us that we may love Thee; and grant, O Lord, more and more it may be manifested in our lives where our hearts are, and what our treasure is. Oh for greater devotion of Spirit, for more continuous and close fellowship with Thyself. O to be withdrawn more and more from all false loves, and to hold all true and good ones in subordination and in union with Thyself.

Strengthen us, O Lord, that we may indeed walk in that way of love which is the way of peace. And pardon our hearts, and strengthen our wills, and rule Thou our desires, and direct Thou our acts. And in all things, outward and inward, may we live consecrated lives.

We beseech Thee to regard us now in Thy presence, to give us Thy help as we remain together. Speak Thou in our heart, O Lord, that we may speak Thy word and not our own, and make Thy message powerful to the building up of all that is good in us, and to the weakening and casting out of all that is evil. And do Thou grant that we all, hearers and speaker alike, may be able to pass beyond the outward form, and to enter into the depths of true communion with God, the submission of heart and effort and of desire towards and after Him. Guide us in our words, in all our worship, and help us when we go hence to bear away some influence that may blend with the other influences of our lives, and make for goodness.

Bless us each, we pray Thee, according to our callings and characters and circumstances. And since Thou dost appoint our necessary share of joy and sorrow, may we acquiesce in Thy appointments, and try to discover what is the will of the Lord, as revealed in our changing conditions. If any of us have any special difficulty in keeping hold of Thy hand by reason of any special burdens of sorrow, and are ready to say, ’ as for me, my feet were almost gone,’ do Thou stay the tremulous hearts, and strengthen weak faith, and give the measure of Thy consolation, which is greater than the measure of our sorrow.

O Lord! look upon all Christian people, and on all who may be feeling after Thee if haply they may find Thee. We beseech Thee to clear away errors, and bring pure confidence in Thyself and in Thy Son. And make all things plain to them that seek it. Give power, O Lord! to all the work of good people who are trying to benefit their fellows, and especially to them who are seeking to make known that Name in which all benefit and blessing are treasured, the Name of Jesus Christ.

Now, O Lord, we thank Thee that we can commit ourselves to Thee; and we would do it in peaceful trust and patient hope, believing that Thou art able to keep all that is committed to Thee against that day. Hear us; give us Thy help and blessing now, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake.