Friday Morning Prayer for Gratitude and Guidance

My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. O gracious and loving God, my Father, my Saviour, and my Sanctifier! In this morning hour I lift up my heart and hands to the throne of Thy Divine Majesty, from which so many many mercies have streamed upon me during all my life, as well as during the past night. Thou hast been my Strength, my High Tower, my Deliverer, my Fortress, my Help, my Comfort, my Shield, yea, my All in All. Of all Thy benefits, my God and Lord, I acknowledge that I am unworthy. In the midst of the darkness Thou didst think of me, and while the dark shadows encompassed me, Thy Fatherly care kept me from harm and danger of body and soul. Therefore I praise Thee, and magnify Thy name. The Lord hath done great things for me, whereof I am glad.

O gracious God, be with me this day, and lead me. Guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. Put into my heart the words I should speak, that I may not offend Thee with my lips. Teach me what I should do, that I may not be guilty of sinful deeds. Let the Holy Spirit admonish my heart whenever my thoughts would stray from Thee. Jesus, when flesh and blood tempt me to sin, let me call before my mind Thy bleeding image, and remember how on a Friday Thou didst sweat great drops of blood for me in Gethsemane, how Thou wast scourged in the judgment-hall, and how, all bleeding and gory, Thou wast nailed to the cross for me. Should my heart today be inclined to yield to any sin, then bring Thy bleeding image before me, that through it all desire to sin may be quenched and destroyed. Let me die unto sin, and walk in newness of life.

Remember also my bodily needs, and bless me. Let me regard all earthly things as transitory possessions, and not set my heart upon them, but seek the things which are eternal. When I labor, strengthen me; when I pray, hear me; when I go out, accompany me; and when I return home, depart not from me. Surround me and mine with Thy protection like the house of Job; guard me like Jacob; watch over me as over Elijah; and let me, beneath Thy sheltering care, reach the evening in peace. Let no sorrowful tidings reach my ears, but let joy and happiness be mine. Amen.