Prayer LXXXVII

O Lord our God! help us, we beseech Thee, that something of that triumphant persuasion may pass into and abide in our hearts and minds. May we feel the bonds that knit us to Thee, the sweet and immortal bonds, not of our love to Thee, but of Thy love flowing out to us, and grasping us. May we never, we who only can, may we never break these bonds, or separate ourselves from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us, day by day, to tighten the bond, to yield ourselves more to Thy stringent embrace. Help us to live in the fuller possession, and the more joyful response of, and to. Thy great love to us; and may that love, dwelling in our hearts, work there all things lovely and of good report. Lift us up above our own weaknesses and meannesses. Breathe strength into us that shall be made perfect in our weakness. Make us lords of our selves and circumstances and times. May we live as the sons of God, without rebuke. May we have in our hearts the consciousness that Thou art with us. May the voice of our deepest spirits be ‘Abba! Father! ‘May we be saved by hope.

Guide us, O Lord, day by day, according to all the diversity of our characters and necessities. Thou appointest a path for us; we would not hew it out for ourselves, but ask Thee to lead us with that ’ kindly light ’ which Thou dost grant to them that keep the single eye. We pray that we may not be left in perplexity as to what the will of the Lord is. And may we be always equally ready to ascertain and to obey.

We pray for Thy help in our various occupations, and all the callings which Thou hast laid upon us. May we realise that they are callings from God, summonses to His service, invitations to come up higher, though we so often make them excuses for tarrying down below. We beseech Thee to deliver us from the temptations of our callings, from the snares of our duties, and from all which our own weakness turns into occasions of stumbling when Thou dost mean them to be means of rising to Thyself. Help us to live to Thy praise; give us Thy presence in our hour of worship; speak in our hearts and to each of us, and strengthen us to accept and to obey the message which Thou dost give us.

Now, O Lord! take us into Thy care; forgive our many sins; and grant us Thy gracious help and presence this morning, for our Saviour Jesus Christ’s sake.