Prayer XXXIX

Give us, O Lord, we beseech Thee, the spirit of supplication; knowing our need and believing in Thy sufficiency and Thy love, may we come to Thee as with our empty vessels to the ever-springing fountain, and with joy draw water from the wells of salvation. We thank Thee that however feeble are our desires. Thou art waiting to be gracious, and art able to give us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask.

We thank Thee that however tremulous our faith Thy faithfulness is as the Rock of Ages. We bless Thee that our very deserts do not stand in the way of Thy great mercy. And so, O Lord, we come to Thee, compassed with infirmity, because Thou art strong; and when tempted to yield to sin, because Thou art righteous. We come to Thee, for Thou art our Father, and Thy mercy endureth for ever. Give us then, we beseech Thee, whatever we may each severally require now; and help us, in the triumphant confidence of faith, to put far away from us all fear, all indifference, all coldness, and to press near Thyself, that into our hearts there may come the very life of God, in the plenitude of its power. Cleanse us, we beseech Thee, from all our evil; lift us from our low estate; our souls cleave unto the dust. Quicken Thou us according to Thy word, O Lord. We need Thee in order that we may truly desire Thee, and we need Thee to make us fit to possess Thee. And so we cast ourselves on Thee for everything, and pray that as from Thee come the preparation of the heart and the answer Thou wouldst give us both now.

We have to acknowledge before Thee many shortcomings, and we feel that our confession is faulty as that which it confesses. But do Thou teach us, we beseech Thee, a deeper and a clearer consciousness of our own defects and shortcomings; and may we realise more fully than ever we have done, not only our responsibility to Thee for all, but that great pattern of perfectness which Thou hast given, and which it is possible for us to attain. May we be intolerant of all shortcomings and failures. May we be rigid and righteous judges of ourselves. May we have no secret sins lurking in our characters or diffused through our conduct without our knowledge. May our desires be quickened after perfect holiness. May we be making daily progress in the life that is drawn from, and is like unto, the life of Jesus Christ. Whatsoever we do may we do it as to the Lord. May we bring Thee into all our acts, and walk before Thee, and so be perfect.

Help us that we may find it no vain thing to wait upon the Lord, but may we be aware of a mighty power raising us above the lowness of our daily lives, and bringing into clearer vision and more solid reality the things that are at Thy right hand where Christ is sitting, our Forerunner and our Friend. Thankfully we recognise the mercy which permits us thus to assemble and help and strengthen one another; may the one spirit be diffused throughout this congregation, and may we receive our portion in due season from those liberal hands that satisfy the desire of every living thing, from that loving Heart that fulfils the desires of them that fear Him. Hear us, grant Thy blessing, quicken each of us by the touch of Thy divine hand, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.