Prayer LVII
O Lord, our gracious God, we thank Thee for, and would respond with all our hearts to, that great love wherewith Thou hast loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and in sins. Thou hast come nigh to us, who were afar off, in that the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beseech Thee that, humbly and gladly, we may come near to Thee through Whom, by Whom, we have access unto the holiest of all; and can lay our faces, full of confusion, because of our unworthiness, on the very heart of our Father God. Help us daily to live close by Thyself, and in our spirits may that mighty power dwell which shall build us up for a habitation of God that dwells in us.
O Lord! lead us into the blessed depths of communion with Thyself. May we know what it is to dwell in love, and so to dwell as in our home, and habitually in God. We beseech Thee that this may be so, even whilst our hands are busy with the tasks of life. Thou dost not mean that these should part us from Thee. Our weakness too often permits them to do so. We ask Thee that a better mind may be in us, and that we may understand more how all these common things are provided in order that in them we may have access to Thee; and by reason of our very necessities realise to ourselves, in our conflicts and toils, that we are drawn and driven closer to Thyself. Thus help us to turn all our work into worship, and at every step along the road have the presence of our Guide and our God.
And now to Thee, Who knowest our necessities better than we ourselves do, we pray that Thou wouldst teach us to see Thy loving will in everything that befalls us. We do not venture to tell Thee what is best for us, but may we be exempt from care, from carking anxieties, from all unsubmissive kicking against the pricks, from all bootless murmuring at what cannot come back, from all dark and enfeebling dread of what may or must come in the future; to live at liberty because we keep Thy precepts. Give us, we beseech Thee, Thy presence and help as we remain in our hour of worship. We thank Thee that we have often found Thee here. We thank Thee for all the blessings that have been ministered to us in past years. Still be with us and help us in hearing and speaking Thy word, in all the acts and exercise of Christian fellowship and worship. And grant that each of us, as we go forth into the various duties of life, may carry with us the savour of the Name of Jesus Christ; and whether by word or by life, by both as occasion may serve us, by either as Thy providence does appoint, may be Thy witnesses in the world.
And we beseech Thee to remember all sad hearts, to send Thy grace and Thy peace to all such, to speak words of strong consolation which are more than words or realities to all that are afflicted. And help us, O Lord, in all our various trials, greater or smaller, not to put away from ourselves Thy solace, any more than in our various works we neglect Thy commandments. And now we beseech Thee to bestow some quickening impulse from Thy good Spirit, and some truths to meditate upon which may help and strengthen, guide and correct, and all we ask through Jesus Christ our Saviour-Lord.