Week 1 Monday Morning Prayer

O LORD, we approach Thy mercy-seat this morning in the name of our Great High Priest, in whose name alone we plead for access and acceptance while we worship before Thee.

We thank Thee for the safety and rest of the past night; for our safety cometh only from the Lord, who made the heavens and the earth. We thank Thee that we are all living before Thee this day, to enjoy together Thy goodness and Thy mercy. We thank Thee for one another, for our home, for our love and fellowship, and for all the comforts of life which we enjoy together.

We bless Thee, O Lord, for our fellowship in the truth, for the knowledge of Thy dear Son, our all-sufficient Saviour, and for the light and consolation of Thy word. We bless Thee for our relation to Thy Church, for our fellowship with Thy people, and for all the means of instruction and godly edifying so richly provided for us. We gratefully acknowledge Thee, O our God, to be the unfailing Source of these, and all our other mercies, from day to day. We have nothing which we have not received; and we bless Thee that we are dependent upon Thee, and that all our need is supplied by Thee, according to Thy riches in glory, by Jesus Christ. We adore Thee that Thou hast made all our supplies sure to us, by Thy covenant with Thy Son, our faithful Surety, with whom Thou dost freely give us all things.

O Lord, let Thy Holy Spirit take away the bondage of our own spirit, — the self-seeking, so offensive and dishonouring to Thee. Thou hast the rightful claim to our love, to our submission, and our obedience. Oh, help us by Thy all-sufficient grace, to render unto Thee all Thou claimest, — to love Thee with all our heart, and with all our mind, and with all our soul, and with all our strength. Let us ever feel that loving Thee is our chief joy; and let us never doubt Thy love, — that love of which Thou hast given such proof in that Thou hast not withheld from us Thy Son, but hast delivered Him up to the death for us all. Truly, Thy faithfulness hast Thou established in the very heavens. O Lord our God, we will praise Thee with all our heart; we will glorify Thy name for evermore, for great is Thy mercy toward us, and Thou hast delivered our souls from the lowest hell. In Thy name shall we rejoice all the day, and in Thy favour shall our horn be exalted. For the Lord is our defence, and the Holy One of Israel is our King.

O Lord, grant, that in loving Jesus, our love to one another may abound. May our hearts be knit together in love, that we may be helpful one to another, that we may grow up into Christ Jesus together, taking sweet counsel together, and walking in the fear of the Lord. Let us ever be tender-hearted and kind, forbearing one another in love; in all faithfulness and truth living together as becometh the gospel. Let us not bring shame or sorrow upon one another; and let not any be ashamed for our sakes, O Lord. Keep us from being moved away from the hope of the gospel. Let us be strengthened with might by Thy Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith.

[O Lord our God, bless, we beseech Thee, the young of this family. Bless them with health and strength of body and of mind, that they may be fitted to serve Thee in the activities of life. Bless to them parental love and care, that they may render a ready and loving obedience. May Thy grace purify their hearts, that they may be beautified with Thy salvation. Make them gentle of spirit, tender of conscience, loving and true. May they understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Oh, keep them from the evil that is in the world; from the companionship of the ungodly; from all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Open up their way before them to safe and useful occupations in life; and enable them in their several callings, to exercise themselves to maintain consciences void of offence toward God and toward man.]

O Lord, lead us forth to the duties and engagements of this day in Thy fear. Enable us to do whatsoever we do as to the Lord, and not as unto men; and do Thou bless and prosper to ourselves and others the work of our hands. May the path of duty be plain to us. May our understanding and judgment be clear, that no perplexities may distract us, and that no snare may entangle us. Oh, let us not forget Thee in the occupations and intercourse of life this day. May we ever have the blessed confidence that Thou art near, — our help, our shield, light of our countenance, and our God. Keep us from all willful offence, from all unkind words, from all guile, and from all unjust deeds. And as we have opportunity, may we, as the children of our Father, do good unto all men, especially to them who are of the household of faith.

Our heavenly Father, we commit ourselves with all our interests into Thy hands. Undertake for us. Glorify Thyself in us. May the Holy Spirit abide with us, and carry on His good work within us, that, walking in fellowship with Jesus, we may this day overcome the world, and grow in meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light.

And all we ask is for the sake of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be all praise and glory for evermore. Amen.