FIFTH WEEK.—WEDNESDAY. — Morning

O GRACIOUS God, give to us the Spirit of grace and supplication. Enable us to worship Thee in spirit and in truth. Blessed Lord, draw nigh to us, and then we shall draw nigh to Thee. We are, indeed, by nature afar off from Thee. Our sins separate us from Thee. They rise up like a high mountain between Thee and us. Oh, that we may come to Thee through that new and living way which Jesus has consecrated for us through the rent veil of his flesh. In Him receive us graciously, and love us freely. In Him bless us with all spiritual and all temporal blessings this day. We thank Thee that thou hast preserved us to see the light of another day. We bless Thee that thou didst spread thy guardian wing over us during the past night. And now, Lord, renew thy mercies to us this morning. We need thy special care to sustain us under all the trials and temptations of life. We have no strength or sufficiency of our own. We confess our proneness to wander from Thee, and to yield to the snares and temptations which encompass us on every side. Keep Thou our feet, and then, and then only, shall we be safe. Hold Thou us up, O Lord. Guide us in the duties of this day. Enable us to set the Lord always before us. May we not forget that life is short, and that the Lord Jesus is at hand.

Make us to feel that this world is not our home. May the eye of our faith be steadily fixed upon the kingdom of heaven. May we seek first, in all things, and under all circumstances, the kingdom of God and thy righteousness. May we go forth to the duties of this day in the strength of our Lord, conscious at all times of thy presence and blessing. O our Lord, may not the world absorb our thoughts. Living in the world, may we be not of the world. May our treasure be in heaven, and our hearts be there also. May we receive grace to be willing to sacrifice health, reputation, yea, life itself, rather than lose thy favour. Be Thou our portion, and the lot of our inheritance for ever.

And now, O Lord, we beseech Thee to bless us all with thy Holy Spirit. Make all our relations and friends thy children. Take them under thy guardian care this day. Make them thine, and keep them thine for ever. Bless our beloved Sovereign, and bless our favoured country. Give wisdom to our senators, and enable them to rule in the fear of the Lord. Send forth thy light and thy truth into all lands. Hasten thine own coming, O Lord Jesus; and when Thou shalt appear, may we be found waiting for Thee.

Lord God, hear these our prayers, and grant these our requests, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen.