For Consistency of Walk
“Walk -worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.” — Col. i. IC.
O Lord, Thou art the heart-searching and the reintrying God. To Thee all hearts are open — from Thee no secrets are hid. Cleanse Thou the thoughts of my heart this day, by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit. I would seek to begin its hours with Thee. May all its business and employments be perfumed with the fragrance of” the morning sacrifice.’’
O Thou great origin and end of all things, be Thou to me the Alpha and the Omega of my daily being. May I feel existence to be a blank without Thee. May I feel that I can only be truly happy when a sense of Thy favor, and friendship, and love is sweetly intermingled with life’s duties — thus lessening every burden — hallowing every trial — diminishing every cross!
I come to Thee once more, an unworthy sinner, to cast myself at my Saviour’s feet. What am I, that Thou shouldst have borne with me so long! The axe “laid at the root of the trees” might long ago have cut me down; but I, a guilty cumberer, am still spared. The retrospect of existence, while a retrospect of patience and forbearance on Thy part, is one of mournful rebellion and ingratitude on mine. I have had a “name to live,” but how much spiritual death in my best frames! I have had a form of godliness; how little have I lived out and acted out its power! More careful have I been to appear to be a Christian than really to he a Christian. How much unevenness in my walk — how much proclaimed and professed by the lip has been undone and denied in the life!
I come this morning to ask anew for mercy to pardon, and grace to help me. Especially do Thou give me the grace of a holy consistency, doing all for Thy glory, having boldness to speak for Thee in the world. May my walk and conversation be the living evidence and expression of the sincerity and reality of the inner life.
For this end may I live more on Jesus. May my life be “hid with Christ in God.” May I grow more and more out of myself, and into my living Head. Self-humbled and self-emptied, may I be ever resorting to the all-fulness of an all-sufficient Saviour. May this be my habitual feeling — “Without Him I can do nothing.” May this be my constant prayer — “Help me. Saviour, or I die.”
May I be enabled this day, in His strength, to do something for God. However lowly my lot, however humble my abilities, may I feel, Lord, that Thou hast work for me in Thy vineyard. Let me not bury my talent in the earth; may I “occupy it till Thou come,’^ that “Thou may est receive thine own with usury.”
Have mercy on Thy whole Church. Pour out on all its members and office-bearers the spirit of meekness and zeal, of power and love, and of a sound mind. May “Holiness to the Lord” be written on its portals!
Hasten the blessed period when the love of Jesus, being enthroned in every heart, and every Church, “we all shall be one.” And all I ask is for the Kedeemer’s sake. Amen.
“CAUSE ME TO HEAR THY LOVING-KINDNESS IN THE MOENING^ FOR IN THEE DO I TRUST.”
®tontt5-su0n Iteming,