Friday Morning — Week 3

Our voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord ; in the morning alone, and in our family, will we direct our prayer unto Thee, and will look up. How well does it become us to be thankful ! Many during the past night have had no place where to lay their head. Many, the victims of disease, have been full of tossing to and fro, until the dawning of the day ; so that their bed has not comforted them, nor their couch eased their complaint. Many have been deprived of rest while watching over their connexions in pain and sorrow. How many have slept the sleep of death, and will not awake till the heavens are no more. Others, whose lives are prolonged, have risen to be surrounded with want and wo; and thousands who have all things richly to enjoy, have risen only to live another day without God in the world.

And why is not this the case with us ? Thou, O God, hast remembered and distinguished and indulged us. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

And thy mercies have been new every morning; yea, every morning. All our desires have not been gratified ; but it was love that denied us, when the accomplishment of our wishes would have proved our ruin or our injury. We have had our trials, but they have been few compared with our sins; they have been attended with numberless alleviations ; and when we have kissed the rod, it has fallen out of thy hand. Thou hast often wiped away our tears, and restored peace to thy mourners. Thou hast never chastened us but for our profit. We already see the design of many of our griefs, and can say, It is good for me that I have been afflicted : and in all other cases, where darkness yet clouds the dispensation, we desire to walk by faith. We believe that Thou hast done all things well, and that thy work is perfect.

But O, what do we owe Thee for the word of thy truth, the throne of thy grace, the Son of thy love — thy unspeakable gift! What do we owe Thee, if we have any reason to hope that we are in Christ, and free from all condemnation ; and that when He who is our life shall appear, we shall also appear with Him in glory, and be for ever with the Lord!

Surely a gratitude becomes us that will not evaporate in a morning acknowledgment with the lip, but such as will keep us in the fear of the Lord all the day long, and lead us to ask, What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? We therefore by the mercies of God, present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto Thee, which is our reasonable service.

And now, O Thou author of all good, we come to Thee for the grace another day will require — the grace its duties will require — the grace its events will require ; for we know not when we leave our apartments in the morning what a day will bring forth. But we know that we are stepping into a wicked world, and that we carry about us an evil heart: we know that without Thee we can do nothing; and we know that there is nothing with which we shall have any concern in the day, however harmless in itself, but may prove an occasion of sinning and falling, unless we are kept by the power of God. We therefore desire to pray ourselves out of our own keeping, into thy keeping. Hold Thou us up and we shall be safe. Preserve our understandings from the subtilty of error; our affections from the love of idols ; our senses from the ungovernable impressions of outward objects ; our character from every stain of vice ; our profession from every appearance of evil ; and may the God of peace sanctify us wholly, and may our whole spirit, soul and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May we engage in nothing in which we cannot implore thy blessing, and to which we cannot welcome thy inspection. Prosper us in our lawful undertakings, or prepare us for disappointment. Give us neither poverty nor riches. Feed us with food convenient for us ; lest we be full and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord ? or lest we be poor and steal, and take the name of our God in vain.

May every creature be good to us, being sanctified by the word of God and prayer. Teach us how to use the world as not abusing it. Enable us to improve our talents and to redeem our time. May we walk in wisdom towards them that are without, and in kindness towards them that are within ; and do good as we have opportunity unto all men, especially unto them that are of the household of faith.

And unto Him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy — to the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.