THIRTEENTH WEEK.—LORD’S DAY. — Evening

ALMIGHTY God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Author and Giver of every good and perfect gift, send down thy Holy Spirit to teach us how to pray.

We approach Thee in the name of thy dear Son; we make mention of his righteousness only; and we adore Thee for the great love and tender mercy which Thou hast ever shown to us. O Lord, we are unworthy of that love; from our birth we have gone astray; our hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; in us there dwelleth no good thing. Even to-day we have sinned grievously. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto Thee, but unto us confusion of face. Pour out thy Holy Spirit upon us. Quicken our cold hearts; revive our drooping love; increase our faith. Give us such a sight, by faith, of Jesus, so reveal to us his preciousness, that we may be filled with a burning desire to be ever with Him.

Lord Jesus, show us thy glory. We would see Thee. Oh, change us into thine image, from glory to glory, even as by the Holy Spirit. Make us more heavenly minded, more loving, more gentle, more holy. So conform us to Thyself, that our will may be swallowed up in thy will, and that we may be living epistles of Thee, known and read of all men.

Heavenly Father, glorify thy Son in us. Bring down every thought in our hearts into subjection to Him. Let our influence be exercised for Him. Make us, as a family and as individuals, to shine as lights in the world. In all our intercourse one with another, make us forbearing and kind, anxious each to promote the other’s good, and willing always to give place one to the other.

Above all, O God, keep us living in the daily expectation of the glorious appearing of Christ. Let that day soon dawn when the knowledge of thy glory shall cover the earth even as the waters cover the seas. Bless thy Word wherever it has been spoken to-day. Make it effectual, through the Holy Ghost, to the conversion of sinners and the building up of believers. Be especially with our own minister; help him in his study of thy Word, and use him as an instrument in bringing many souls to Jesus.

And now, O Lord, take care of us to-night. Protect us, body and soul. Help us quietly and peacefully to rest on Christ; and give us such a good hope through grace, that we may be well assured that whether we wake or sleep, whether we die or live, we are thine. Hear us, heavenly Father, and do exceeding abundantly for us above all that we can either ask or think, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.