Prayer XCVII

Draw all our hearts, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to Thyself; and help us to lift them above our earthly vanities and realities, our tasks, sorrows, enjoyments, and to come very near to Thyself in lowly love, in lofty aspiration, in full surrender of ourselves to Thee.

We come in that great Name, the only Name given unto men whereby we must be saved, and we bless Thee that every one of us has the right to say that He was slain for us. May all of us know how much we need a Saviour, for ourselves and for our sins, and how strong and sufficient a Saviour we have in the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.

We bless Thee for the Word; and we would crown Him as our King, and bring to Him majesty and honour and power and riches, unceasing praise and measureless love. May it be so, O Lord, with us all; and may our devotion to Jesus Christ be the power that moulds our lives, that lifts us above temptation, that arms us against sorrows and cares, that teaches us to expect; and helps us to attain heights of nobleness and goodness else inaccessible to our feeble feet. We thank Thee for all the strength which has been given in time past to souls that have builded upon Him, and taken their refuge through Him in Thee. We pray that to each of us, according to our N different duties and circumstances in the world, our tasks, temptations, relationships and opportunities, there may be granted the needful grace out of the rich storehouse which Thou hast laid up for the world in Thy well-beloved Son. Oh! help us, day by day, to run with patient perseverance the race set before us, feeling no duties too small to be done with the best effort of heart and mind, and none too great to be successfully accomplished by Thy help. May none of the many applications in our daily lives break our fellowship with God. May all things visible help us to see through them more clearly the things that are unseen. If any of us have any special weight of responsibility or duty that seems to our faithlessness too strong for our strength; any sorrow that our hearts find it hard to bear and be thankful, draw near to such with the sustaining, enlightening, comforting influences which Thou hast at hand, and speak to our hearts that they may be of good courage, and wait upon the Lord. Do Thou help us in all slippery places to stand fast because our feet are on the Rock, and our hands grasping Christ’s hands. May we tread in His footsteps, and so walk in the ways which are peace and righteousness. Do Thou forgive all our imperfections, cleanse our hearts from our besetting sins, deliver us from the dominion of transgressions unsuspected and unknown by ourselves. Help us to have loftier views, day by day, of what is the walk that is worthy of our vocation; and strengthen us that we may never see anything as duty which we do not gladly endeavour to appropriate, and to make our own.

We beseech Thee to help us, that in our worship some words may be spoken that shall be in accordance with Thy holy will, that may be felt by many of us to be

God’s own voice to us. Take Thou our own thoughts and words, and put Thine own Divine power into them; and grant, we beseech Thee, that this evening many may be drawn nearer to the Source of all strength and blessedness, of all forgiveness and holiness, by Jesus Christ Himself.

Guide any of us that are in circumstances of perplexity and difficulty, O Lord, we pray. If any here have special cause for thanksgiving, the Lord help them to enjoy His mercy with grateful hearts, and to take the cup of salvation, and not forget to call upon the Name of the Lord. Bless all Christian people who this day have gathered and offered up their sacrifices of prayer and praise to Thee. May many be drawn into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ by this day’s services, and many whose faith shall be built up by the communion of saints enjoyed this day.

And now, O Lord, we would commend ourselves to Thy gracious care. We pray for Thy help, without which nothing is strong. We beseech Thee to take away all hindrances, in ourselves and in our circumstances, which may interfere with our full enjoyment and profit by the service of this evening.

Hear us, O Lord, in these our prayers; and in Thy great mercy forgive, answer, and bless, for our Saviour Christ’s sake.