Childlike Trust and Courage for Life

ALMIGHTY! give us the spirit of the little child, so that where we cannot understand we may trust. Give us Thy fatherly love, that finding ourselves in this weary world we may rest our heads upon Thy breast, and be at peace. Why Thou sendest us here, we know not; but let it be enough for us to know that Thou hast sent us here; enough for us to make our lives like unto Thine.

Men have to cry unto Thee out of the heaviness of their hearts, for they have been brought down by sin and shame. Our broken purposes, the weary burden of wasted hours, the failures of our life, all these things weigh us down; but, O Lord! in the time of our heaviness, draw Thou near; teach us the blessed hope of that Life Eternal where we shall rise from wisdom to wisdom, ever drawing nearer to Thee. Bind up each broken heart, and give of Thy strength to those who are weary and heavy-laden.

Lord God! whether we are joyful or sorrowful, help us to be patient and diligent and dutiful, and earnest to do Thy will, thus laying up for ourselves treasure where neither moth nor rust can corrupt, and where we shall find it again, more blessed than it has ever been.

Guide us through all the days of this our life, and grant that we may look to the evening of our days without dread, to the last sunset without fear. So shall we be, whether we live or die, Thine for evermore.—AMEN.