Week 2 Thursday Evening Prayer

LORD GOD! Thou art the Preserver of all men, especially of them that believe. Thou makest the sun to shine on the evil and the good. Thou hast special care over them that know and fear Thee, and Thou makest all things to work together for their good. Blessed Lord, we should not have known Thee if Thou hadst not sought us out, and restrained us, and instructed us from Thy word. And we do not fear Thee as we should. Even this day we have offended against Thee, and we need Thy forgiveness, which we now humbly ask, through Christ Jesus, and for His name's sake.

We thank Thee for Thy goodness to us, and to all mankind, in creating and in bestowing so many blessings. We praise Thee for Thy goodness to us in this land, where we enjoy so much liberty, and have so many means of happiness. Make us, and all our fellow-citizens, truly thankful ; and enable us all to live in Thy fear, and to serve Thee in truth and righteousness. Give Thy guidance and blessing to the President of these United States. Guide those who are appointed for the making and executing of our laws. Drive every evil thing away from among us, O good Lord, and make us a happy, united, and God-fearing people.

We adore and praise Thee for Thy saving grace shown to Thy church in Christ Jesus, her living Head. Thou hast given Him for our sins, and raised Him for our justification. Thou hast set Him at Thy right hand. May each of us be of His body. Let not one of this family, O God, be lost. What should it profit us, O Lord, though we gained the world, and lost our souls ? O save us, for Thy mercy's sake, in Christ Jesus ; and let us be at last a whole family in heaven.

Another day has passed, O Lord ; and we bless Thee at its close, and thank Thee for the peace, enjoyment, and power to labor it brought us. Whatever we have tried to do to Thee this day, O Lord, accept. Pardon our dull affections, our great unbelief, our secret love of sin, and our open shortcomings ; and let the falls and errors of to-day be borne in mind, that we may be more humble and watchful in time to come.

And now we beseech Thee to take us under Thy divine care during the night. Let us remember, as we lie down, how soon the grave shall cover us ; and let us be assured of our safety in Jesus Christ, that we may not fear death and the grave.

O Thou that hearest prayer, we thank Thee for the communion of saints, and that we are one with all them that in every place call upon Thee in Christ Jesus. We pray for all our brethren in Him — those whom we know, and those whom we shall only know in heaven. We especially beseech Thee to bless those with whom Thou hast united us on earth. Bless our own kindred, and let us have grace to help one another as one in Christ Jesus. Bless our pastor, and make him a blessing to all his flock. Give zeal and wisdom to all who bear office in the church of God. Enrich our fellow-worshippers with heavenly gifts, and revive true religion among us.

We pray for all Christians in sickness, that they may be healed and comforted, or carried safely through their last agony. We pray for all mourners, that they may be comforted of the Holy Ghost. We pray for all backsliders, that they may be recovered by Thy grace, and brought with us, and with all Thy true people, to heaven, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our only Lord and Saviour. Amen.