Prayer XXVII
O Lord our Father, Who art ready to hear us always, we beseech Thee for the Spirit of supplication. And since we know not what to pray for as we ought, we ask before all else that that Spirit which maketh intercession in us may move on our heart’s desires now, and may help us to covet earnestly the best gifts, and to trust perfectly that when we ask we shall receive. O Lord! we need Thy gracious help, for our hearts are very weak, and we are ever turning aside to earthly things and to creatures; and making these, which are meant to help us towards Thee, barriers to shut us out from Thee. We pray Thee for that good Spirit of adoption whereby we may indeed cry to Thee as to our Father, and may feel that Thy fatherly love is very real, and is possessed by us. Give us that Holy Spirit of promise whereby we may be withdrawn from all earthly and sinful desires, and sealed unto the day of redemption. Give us that strong spirit by which we shall overcome all our difficulties, conquer all our foes, be fit for all our work, and be strengthened with might within for every part of Thy purpose and command. Give us, we beseech Thee, that Spirit of truth which shall guide us into all truth, setting us free from our errors, delivering us from our prejudices, taking away from us all false thoughts and false desires, and teaching us to cleave to, and to love, and to live by, the truth as it is in Jesus. Give us, we pray Thee, that tender Spirit that our souls may be purged from all the harshness and hardness of self-regard, and made gentle and full of compassion and of all loving-kindness. May we thus be imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love as Thou also hast loved us.
Regard us as we are here before Thee this morning; and shed abroad upon us, gathered together thus, Thy gracious influences that all our deadness may be quickened, our slothfulness stirred up, and all that is within us be led to praise and trust the living, loving God. We thank Thee for all Thy gracious mercies and gifts to us; we beseech Thee to be near us in our worship of this morning. We commend all whom we love, and one another, to Thy gracious care and keeping now, and beseech Thee to accept and bless and strengthen us, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.