Prayer XL
O Lord, our gracious Father, it is good to draw near unto Thee, and we would come with our empty hands, and pray for the blessings which Thou dost delight to give even more than we to receive them. Teach us how to pray, we beseech Thee, and make us aware of our necessities, and shine into our hearts with the great assurance that Thou art our Portion, and that with Thee we are rich indeed.
O Lord, Thou knowest all of us, our sins and failures, our defects of character, and the weak places where we lie open to temptation. And we pray for Thy discipline; we pray for Thy direction. Help us in all things to apprehend Thy purpose, and in all things to fulfil Thy purpose, that that will of Thine, even our sanctification which Thou art apparently working out by all the diversity of Thy dealings with us, may be deeper to us, and may be recognised by us, too, as the main thing for which we ought to live. Help us, we pray Thee, that we may be holy as Thou art holy, and bring all our religion to bear constantly so that we may have nothing in our faith which is not unusual in our conduct, and nothing in our conduct which is not regulated and influenced by our faith.
We pray, O Lord, that if any of us here before Thee have any special need, known to us or unknown. Thou wouldst graciously meet it. Guide us day by day by Thy counsel. Help us to be of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, that we may know what Thou wouldst have us do, and may gladly close with all Thy commandments and with Thy appointments. Thou dost send to some of us heavy duties. Make the back strong for the burden. Thou dost appoint to some of us days of darkness, solitariness, anxiety. Do Thou strengthen Thy servants to look beyond the darkness to the light that abides. And do Thou comfort all sad hearts, and speak Thy grace to all those who are in any way afflicted in mind, body, or estate. And help each of us, in our several ways, to glorify our Lord and Saviour, and to live as in communion with Him, and as setting forth His saving power, and as showing to the world how fair a thing a human character may be, lightened and purified by a present Christ.
We beseech Thee to bless us in our worship, to forgive all the imperfections of our preparation for this service, and to speak through our lips. And give us grace to hear with our ears, that the word of the Lord may be magnified, whatever becomes of the word of man.
We pray for like blessings to rest upon all congregations of Christian people this morning. And wherever there are loving hearts seeking to draw near to Thee, whether in the companionship of their fellows, or in the solitude, be Thou near to them. And be Thou a little sanctuary to those of Thy people who may be shut out from the great congregation. And bless our Sovereign and our country, and all rulers and guides of opinion and action in this and other lands. And overrule the voices of men’s conflicting desires to bring about the great purposes of Thy love. Cast down the Babels that men have built, and build upon their ruins the Holy City, the new Jerusalem.
Hear us, forgive us, grant us Thy blessing beyond our deserts, and beyond even our desires, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.