Prayer XXVI

We come to Thee, O Lord, in the confidence that Thy Name is Love, and Thou hast made such confidence easy for us by Thy many mercies to us. We feel that if we did rightly observe Thy dealings with us we should understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. We beseech Thee to help us that we may rise above all doubts and discouragements, and all in our own hearts which may make Thee our Dread, and that we may come to Thee now as children should, rejoicing to be beside their Father, and feeling that no place is so good for us as at Thy right hand.

O Lord, we bring Thee many sins for forgiveness; we do need Thy cleansing grace. We feel when we are wisest, and understand ourselves and Thee best, that we have fallen far beneath Thy purposes concerning us, and have often gone right against Thee. Lord! we have in some measure learnt that it is hard for us to kick against the pricks. Thou dost lay Thy commands upon us, and we have never broken them, but we have suffered for it. We pray Thee to help us that in days to come the deepest voice in our hearts may be ‘Lord! what wilt Thou have me to do? ‘And we bless Thee that such a question Thou dost never leave unanswered. May our ears be acute to catch the whispers of Thy will, and so not need its thunders. May we dwell in Thee, and love the Commander so much that we delight in all that He commands. We pray for more of that love in our hearts which is ’ the fulfilling of the Law,’ and we beseech Thee that Thou wouldst help each of us here to open our hearts for the entrance of Thy love, that it may constrain us with the sweet constraint of swift obedience.

O Lord! Thou knowest all our circumstances, our weaknesses, our work, our difficulties, our duties. Thou seest many struggling hearts before Thee, and some sad ones. We beseech Thee that Thou wouldst be near us all, and if in any measure or manner we may be learning the vanity of things here below, and may be called upon to walk in darkness, with sorrows gnawing at our hearts, or anxiety, come Thou to us, we pray Thee, and strengthen us that we may apprehend Thy loving purpose even in the darkness, and that the night may be light about us. If any of us are fighting with temptation, and ready to yield, O Lord, confirm the feeble hands, and strengthen Thy servants that they may stand fast though in slippery places. Do thou come to each of us as we severally require. We cannot speak each other’s specific wants. We thank Thee that whatever be our necessities there is infinite fulness in Thee, and that Thou hast the bandages and the balm for every wound, light for all darkness, guidance for the perplexed, strength for the weak, hope for the downcast, and a Christ for every one of us. We pray that our service may, in some cases, and in some measure in all, help us to take firmer hold of that great love which is brought to us all in the Saviour of the world, and that we may all be indeed His servants.

Be with us when we try to speak a word in Thy Name; take away all unfitness, imperfection, and weakness; and give us some message which may be felt to be Thy message, and bring forth fruit that shall be found after many days unto Thy praise and glory.

Now, Lord, we commend ourselves to Thy gracious care; we beseech Thee to be near us, to bless us all, and now to accept and answer us, through Christ our Saviour.