Mercy When Faith and Courage Fail

O LORD, we, too, cry, "Let Thy mercy lighten upon us;" that mercy whose white wings are on every dark cloud that man's pride and sinfulness have brought over himself. Thy mercy standeth and knocketh; let ours be the ready hand to open unto it. Let our misery bring Thy mercy near, our sadness bring Thy sweetness, our needs bring Thy fulness. If it be so that when the soul is empty of itself Thou comest and fillest it, oh, empty every one of us.

All our life long our cry has been, "Let Thy mercy lighten upon us!" Thou hast heard our prayers for mercy, from our lisping childhood. Thou hast heard us in carelessness call, "Father, have mercy," when we put little meaning into it. But now, in the night time, in agony and anguish, when we cry unto Thee with our hearts, let Thy mercy lighten upon us. O Lord, still hear us! When the heart is sad, when the night is dark, when faith fails and courage is going, then still hear our cry: "Let Thy mercy lighten upon us as our trust is in Thee."—AMEN.