SEVENTEENTH WEEK.—FRIDAY. — Evening

O THOU that art the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, at the close of another day we would approach Thee in the name of our adorable Redeemer. Help us to come with humility and with confidence. We humble ourselves before Thee as thy erring children. In many things we all offend. But we bless Thee that we can plead the merits of the dear Redeemer. Oh, give to us a sweet sense of pardon through the blood of Jesus Christ.

And while we praise Thee for pardoning mercy, we beseech Thee to carry on in us that work which we humbly believe Thou hast begun. May we be evidently among the number of thy people. Enable us to bear the cross, and to follow Jesus. May we, through good report and through evil report, ever witness a good confession. Give to us such a sense of the preciousness of Jesus that we may be willing to give up all to follow Him. May we ever have grace to say, “Whom have I in heaven but Thee, and there is none upon earth I desire beside Thee.” Let us never be ashamed to acknowledge whose we are and whom we serve. We trust, O Lord, that through thy preventing grace we have put our hands to the Gospel plough. Suffer us not to look back at any time; but through thy help enable us to count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord.

We thank Thee for the mercies of another day. We bless Thee for our creation, preservation, and for all the blessings by which we have been surrounded. Thou hast fed us with food convenient for us. Thou hast watched over and protected us. If Thou hast preserved us from falling into gross sin, and from dishonouring the name we profess to love, to Thee, O Lord, would we ascribe all praise. We pray that the same blessings we ask for ourselves may also descend upon those who seek an interest in our prayers. Increase their faith, enlarge their hopes, inflame their zeal, and make them to be eager and earnest in the performance of thy will. Look down upon our unconverted friends and relatives, and bring them, we beseech Thee, to see and feel the preciousness of a Saviour’s love. Enable them to realise their own deep needs, and to experience the presence and the fulness of thy great salvation.

And now, blessed Father, we commend ourselves to thy keeping. Shield us throughout the perils and dangers of another night. Let no harm come near our dwelling; let no ill dreams disturb our rest. Be Thou our Guardian, and bring us in safety to the beginning of another day. Hear us, we humbly beseech Thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son, our Saviour. Amen.