TWENTY-THIRD WEEK.—TUESDAY. — Evening

IN the multitude of thy mercies, O Lord our God, we present ourselves at the throne of thy grace to-night. Thou hast been our guide and our guard through another day. Thou hast delivered us from dangers both seen and unseen. Many have been our wants, but Thou hast supplied them all. Make us truly grateful, and grant us thy Holy Spirit, to enable us to devote those lives to thy service which Thou dost so constantly make thy care. With deep humility and self-abasement, we acknowledge our unworthiness and our sins. We have done much that we ought not to have done, and have left much of our duty undone. We rejoice to know that thou delightest in mercy, and that with Thee there is plenteous redemption. Be merciful to us, for the sake of Jesus Christ; and pardon our iniquity, for it is great.

Thou didst of old speak unto thy people by thy servants the prophets, but Thou hast spoken unto us by thy Son, the Lord Jesus. May the lessons of instruction we have now derived from his words make a lasting impression on our hearts, and exert a practical influence on our conduct. Suffer us not to resemble the scribes and Pharisees, against whom such woes were denounced. Forbid it that we should be as whited sepulchres, which may indeed appear beautiful without, while within they are full of all uncleanness. May we hate and avoid hypocrisy and deceit. May we be among the pure in heart who shall see God. While we attend to the lesser matters of thy law, may we not omit the weightier matters of judgment, mercy, and faith. Permit us never to be blind guides, going astray from thy paths ourselves, and leading others astray too; but may thy Spirit lead us into all truth, and make us useful to those with whom we associate.

May we always be found watching and waiting for that time when it shall be said, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Make us willing to suffer affliction and persecution for Him who suffered, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God. Grant that as a family we may all be not only the objects of thy protecting care, but partakers of thy saving grace. May those who are related to us, by the ties of nature and affection, be taken into relationship with Thyself.

By the tears Thou didst shed over Jerusalem, and by thy death on the cross to put away the sin of the world, we beseech Thee to pour out thy Holy Spirit upon all flesh.

And now, like as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, so do Thou graciously cover us with thine own Almighty power and love, that we may both lay ourselves down to sleep and awake in peace, for thy great name’s sake. Amen.