Prayer XXXV

O Lord, Thou art the giving God, and when we ask ourselves what shall we render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards us, we bless Thee that Thou hast taught us the answer, that we shall take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord. We bless Thee that Thou dost delight in us when we come to Thee empty-handed, lifting up our empty hands to Heaven that they may be filled, our stained hands that they may be cleansed.

We would come to Thee, now, O Lord, in the confidence that Thou art ever giving from Thy fulness, and dost rejoice in us when we receive Thy gifts remembering the Giver. O Lord, bestow upon us all those holy desires, all that lowly consciousness of our own emptiness, all that triumphant confidence in Thy fulness, and

Thy loving delight in giving Thyself to us which Thou dost rejoice to see in us, and wilt impart to us when we are seeking Thee. We thank Thee that before we call Thou dost answer, and that so often we have found it true that whilst we are yet speaking Thou wilt hear. We bless Thee that even we, without presumption, can come into Thy presence when we stand praying believing that we have the things which we desire. Surely there is nothing which Thou dost desire more than that we shall let Thee give us Thyself, and surely whatever wishes may be disappointed there is a region in which to ask is to have, and to have more exceeding abundantly than we can ask or think. Lead us, then, we pray Thee, into that safe region where desire can move unfearing; and bestow upon us all, in such measure as shall make us ashamed of our diffidence and our small petitions, the very fulness of Thy gracious self.

We thank Thee, O Lord, that Thou hast already drawn near to us, and given to the world and to each of us that in which all sweets lie compacted, and all needs are more than supplied. May we have that rejoicing, filial confidence which shall always say, ‘My God shall supply all our needs, through His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.’ We come to Thee with many necessities, but most of all we need Thee. We pray for purifying, we pray for strengthening, we pray that our feet may be kept firm even when in slippery places. We pray for self-knowledge, for self-distrust, for confidence in the better self which Thou dost breathe into the spirits of Thy children, and we beseech Thee that day by day our experience may enlarge with our desires, and we may have and long more for more and more of the fulness that is in God.

O Lord, cleanse us from our evil, deliver us from our foolish loves, and false desires, and vain hopes, and aimless struggles in which we are tempted to pass so much of our lives. And give to us a more rooted, firmer, and more powerful and transforming conviction that Thou art our Portion and our Joy, and that possessing Thee we may reach to all the intents of bliss. We beseech Thee to forgive our wanderings and shortcomings, our rebellions and murmurings, our postponing the best things to the inferior things, and the greater ardour with which our hearts go out after Time than that with which they launch themselves into the great Eternity. Oh do Thou fit us, day by day, for the discharge of every duty, for the facing of all circumstances, for the conflicts over every evil. We beseech Thee that Thou wouldst search our inmost parts as with the candle of the Lord, and tell us what Thou hast found there of evil. Speak to our consciences, Lord; make them more sensitive to all that is contrary to Thy will, and more firm in their proclamation to us of our own evil deserts. Preserve us from deceiving ourselves by the outward forms and professions of godliness, and deliver us from all temptations to lower the standard of our living according to those around us, or ever to make it less than Thy will, which is our sanctification. May we be holy as Thou art holy, and in that fear of the Lord which is full of blessedness may we perfect our holiness.

We thank Thee that for many of us there are precious memories of past seasons of blessedness, when we have met Thee here, strong in our hearts. And whilst we praise Thee for all the past blessings of our union in worship, we beseech Thee that Thou wouldst still be near us, and wouldst help us now, and strengthen us as we bow here before Thee; that we may indeed leave behind cares and sorrows and purposes and aims, and only remember all these in so far as they may make more grateful to us this day of the Lord, and our gathering together in Thy Name; and may make us feel more our need for help, to be received here, and for meat in the strength of which we may go for many days. We pray Thee to be near us. We thank Thee for all Thy mercies; in everything by prayer and supplication, not forgetting thanksgiving, we would make our requests known unto Thee, and beseech Thee that on Thy part Thou wilt fulfil Thy promises, in so far as we have fulfilled the conditions, and to grant that the peace of God which passes understanding may now be keeping our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For His sake grant it. Lord.