Monday Morning — Week 3

O Thou, who hast characterized thyself as the hearer of prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come ; and that we may come with acceptance and success, we come in the name of the great Intercessor, Jesus Christ the righteous; and Thou, eternal Spirit of grace and supplication, do Thou make intercession for us, by making intercession in us according to the will of God.

All they that are far from Thee shall perish ; but it is good for us to draw near to Thee. We have found the duty our delight. Devotion has opened a resource, when all other comforts have failed; and in every perplexity, every alarm, every distress, a glorious high throne from the beginning has been the place of our sanctuary. We praise thy name that ordinances have not been unprofitable observances to our souls, but channels through which the God of all grace has replenished us, and means by which we have enjoyed fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.

Bless the services in which we were engaged on the past day. Let a savor of divine things be left on our spirits and be diffused in our conversation. And as the face of Moses when he descended from communion with Thee, shone so that the Israelites could not steadfastly behold him for the glory of his countenance, so may it be with us. Let those around us take knowledge of us that we have been with Jesus ; and may our profiting appear unto all men. May our light shine before men. May we be manifestly the disciples of Christ. Instead of confounding our neighbors and friends to determine whether we are settlers or strangers and pilgrims on the earth, may we declare plainly that we seek a country. May we put on as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another. May we be followers of God as dear children ; may we be perfect as our Father who is in heaven is perfect.

At present it is a day of small things with us. We have only light enough to see our darkness ; sensibility enough to feel the hardness of our hearts ; spirituality enough to mourn our want of heavenly-mindedness. But we might have had more ; we ought to have had more. We have never been straitened in Thee : Thou hast always placed before us an infinite fulness, accompanied with the command and the promise, Open thy mouth wide ; I will fill it.

We confess and bewail not only our deficiencies, but our backslidings also. It is not with us as it was in months past : O, recal us to thyself; enable us to feel our first love, and to do our first works. Yea, may we forget the things that are behind, and reach forth unto those that are before. May we not only have life, but may we have it more abundantly; and not only be fruitful, but bear much fruit.

May our improvements correspond with our privileges; and our practice with our knowledge. May our wills always bow to the decisions of our judgments ; may we choose what we approve ; and never condemn ourselves in the things that we allow.

May we never want the threatenings of thy law and the terrors of hell to keep us from every evil way. May thy goodness lead us to repentance, and thy love constrain us to all holy obedience.

May all our churches continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and in fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer ; and may the Lord add daily to their numbers such as shall be saved.

May the dead hear the voice of the Son of God and live. May those who are asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, find a teacher that will say to them, This is the way, walk ye in it, when they turn to the right hand and when they turn to the left. Let the rich be poor in spirit ; and the poor be made rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which Thou hast promised to them that love Thee. Let the ignorant be enlightened; and let those that are wise become fools that they may be wise.

We bless Thee for all thy former loving-kindnesses to this family, and pray that they may be continued to us and sanctified by us. May the outgoings of the morning and evening of another day be made to rejoice. May we continually live under the shadow of thy wing and the influence of thy grace; and let the words of our mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.

And unto Him that is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us — unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.