First Week. Thursday. Evening

O ALMIGHTY and Everlasting God, who hast caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning, give us grace to receive with meekness and faith the portion which we have now heard. We thank Thee for that inestimable love which led Thee to give thy Son—thine only Son—to take our nature upon him, and to be made flesh without spot of sin, that we might be free from all sin. We thank Thee, O Lord, for that example of faith which Thou hast given us in the mother of our Lord, whose spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour. We pray Thee to give us all the same precious faith; enable us to receive the message of thy Word with the same readiness of mind. Teach us to submit to thy will concerning us, with the same loving humility. Strengthen us to leave the difficulties which we know, and those also which we do not know, to that never-failing providence which ordereth all things both in heaven and earth. Enable us to commit ourselves and our characters calmly into thy hands, anxious only to be right with Thee, and having no doubt that Thou wilt make our righteousness as clear as the light.

Oh, may the Holy Ghost—the Lord and Giver of life—form Christ within our hearts. May it please Thee to reveal thy Son in us, that he may dwell in our hearts by faith. Set up within us thy kingdom, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Oh, that Thou wouldest bring every thought within us, every temper, every motive, every disposition, into obedience to the law of Christ. May the Spirit of Truth rule and direct our minds, and may we watch continually and keep the door of our lips. May no corrupt communication—no words that are not true, or profitable, or kind—ever come forth from our lips, which are not our own, but Christ’s; and may we speak only that which is good to the use of edifying, which may minister grace to the hearers.

O Lord Jesus, Thou thyself hast assured us that whosoever shall do the will of thy Father which is in heaven, the same is thy brother, and sister, and mother. We bless Thee that we may all thus be thy kinsmen according to the Spirit—the children of God by faith in Thee—whom Thou, the root and offspring of David, art not ashamed to call thy brethren. Oh, give us grace to live as becometh this our high and holy calling; and as Thou, Lord, art holy, so may we strive and pray to be holy in all manner of conversation. We beseech Thee to prepare us now to dwell with Thee hereafter, that when Thou comest in thy kingdom, O Lord, thou son of David, we may, with all thy holy angels and all thy redeemed saints, be admitted to behold thy glory.

O God, grant this for thy dear Son’s sake. Amen.