ELEVENTH WEEK.—MONDAY. — Morning

ALMIGHTY God, the Holy One of Israel, Father of the whole family in heaven and earth, we present ourselves before Thee in worship and adoration. Our voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, and day by day will we direct our prayer unto Thee, and will look up. We thank Thee for peace and safety during the night, and for the refreshment and strength received in sleep; and now that our faculties are restored, and another day is before us, we pray for the forgiveness of past sins and follies, and ask that we may be kept from again being guilty of the offences against Thee which Thou hast graciously pardoned.

We are only safe as Thou keepest us. Great and many dangers beset our path. Our own hearts are prone to evil. Continually we see the good, but prefer the evil. The good that we would we do not, and the evil that we would not that we do. We are frail and feeble, without strength of our own to stand upright. Lord, look in thy mercy upon us, and preserve us from falling. Clothe us with the armour of God, that the shafts of temptation, and sin, and Satan may hurt us not. Remove the hindrances that prevent our spiritual progress. Suffer us not to be tempted beyond what we can bear. Let thy name be glorified in our godly walk and conversation, that we may not do harm to religion, nor bring dishonour on thy name by inconsistency and sin.

Grant, O Lord, that the lesson of thy Word now read may be fixed deeply in our hearts. May it show us how Thou makest all things work together for good to thy people, and how, though sorrow may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning. May we learn from it the duty of forgiveness, and be ready at all times to do good to them that have injured us, and to pray for them that despitefully use us. O God, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. Oh, let this our household be a God-fearing family, abounding in love to Thee and to one another. Let no fruits of bitterness spring up to trouble us. We desire that Jesus may dwell with us, shedding on all our hearts the bright beams of his precious presence, and drawing us all to Himself by the bands of everlasting love. Grant, Lord, that when the shades of evening shall come down upon the world again, we may be privileged to look back on a day which has been without wilful offence against God or man.

We present at thy footstool these our prayers and thanksgivings, trusting in the grace and mediation of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one eternal Jehovah, be unending praise. Amen.