Prayer XXX
O Lord, gracious and longsuffering, grant, we beseech Thee, that none of us may fail to possess that blessing which Christ has come to bestow upon us too, in turning away every one of us from his iniquities. We pray for clean hearts, we pray for grace to discern, and to detest, and to dislodge from our hearts all the evils that may lurk there, and which often are unknown to ourselves; and pour upon us all the good Spirit which Christ has come to impart, that by that fire, kindled in our hearts, the dross may be melted and run away from us, and we be as silver tried in the fire.
O Lord! we need, and we daily feel that we need, the succour of Thy mighty power, and the cleansing of Thy purifying Spirit; for day by day temptations are brought to bear upon us, and day by day we are pressed upon with duties and cares too great and too heavy to be undertaken, and to be upborne by our own unaided strength. But we would cast ourselves on Thy mercy, Who dost never send Thy servants a warfare at their own charges, and dost always give what Thou dost command to them who seek Thy face. Strengthen us then, we beseech Thee, day by day, to run with patience the race that is set before us, and to tread firmly in the footsteps of the Captain of our salvation. Regard each of us according to our several requirements. If there are any among us who may have special cause of thankfulness to Thee for restoring and healing mercy, we beseech Thee to accept our praise, and to help us to devote to Thee lives which Thou hast continued to us. If there are any of us that are in sorrow, and bearing heavy hearts into Thy presence, speak, we beseech Thee, peace and consolation to Thy children, and grant that none of us may put away from ourselves either the lessons of our sorrows, or the healing of them which Thou art ready to give. And do Thou help us all, day by day, in the variety of our circumstances and duties, to set the Lord always before us, and to glorify His Name in our daily lives.
We commend to Thee all that we love. We pray for all Christian people in all churches and forms of faith wherever there are true hearts that love Jesus Christ and desire to serve Him; we pray that the light may broaden and greaten for them, and that we and they may all be drawn nearer to our Master and made able to apprehend more fully in our minds, and to reproduce more fully in our lives, the lessons of Thy great gospel.
We beseech Thee to bless all work done in the world for the spread of the Name of Christ and the glory of His Kingdom, and that Thou wouldst bless all Thy servants who are at work in divers places throughout the world, in seeking to establish that Kingdom which is ’ righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’ Hear us, we pray Thee; in Thy great mercy forgive us; grant us larger blessings than we ask or expect, and help us in this hour of worship, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.