First Week. Tuesday. Morning

O GOD our Father, enable us to feel in this our prayer, that Thou art very near to us, and that we are very near to Thee; that thine ear is hearkening to our prayer, and thy hand outstretched to bless us. With all our hearts we thank Thee for the protection and rest of the night and the mercies of the day. Thou hast renewed to us the bounties of thy providence and the riches of thy grace. O Lord, we desire to see thy love in all these things. Help us to use them as for Thee, and to remember, day by day, that of all these talents we must give account at the Great Day.

Forgive us, O God, all our forgetfulness of Thee, and of thy mercy to us—all our disobedience of thy commands. Awaken in us every day a deeper sense of our own emptiness, and reveal to us more clearly the fulness and sufficiency of Jesus. Through Him alone we hope for peace and blessing.

And now, O God, when another day is before us, with its temptations, and opportunities, and duties, we look upward to Thee for preserving and sustaining care. The life which Thou didst inbreathe at the first we commit to thy precious keeping. Leave us not to ourselves, for if Thou withdraw thy care we fall and perish. Thou knowest, O God, the craft of the great enemy, and what ignorant and feeble creatures we are; Thou knowest the power of the world’s temptations, and how unable we are in our own strength to meet and overcome them. Lord, help us. Preserve us from falling. Uphold us in the narrow way, that our footsteps slip not. Set a watch over our lips, that we offend not in word. Make our conscience so tender and sensitive, that we may shrink at the approach of evil, and touch not the forbidden thing. Remind us constantly of thy presence, and hide thy word in our hearts, that we may not sin against Thee. We know, O Lord, that whatever Thou deniest us is denied in mercy, and whatever Thou commandest is commanded in mercy. Kindle in our hearts such love to Thee, that thy commandments may never be grievous. It is Thou who hast placed us where we are, and given us our work to do. We desire in our station and calling to please Thee in all things. If Thou seest us wandering from the ways of godliness, speak to our hearts by thy Holy Spirit, and turn our feet again into thy paths.

Lord, we pray not for ourselves alone, but for all whom we love. Sanctify to us and to them the earthly relationships by which thy providence has knit us together. Let not one of us be found wanting in the day when Thou makest up thy jewels; but make us thine, and keep us thine for evermore. Hear us, O God. We ask Thee for all, and thank Thee for all, in the name of Jesus Christ, thy dear Son, our Saviour. Amen.