"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."--Psalm
ciii. 2.
O God Almighty, do Thou draw near to me at this time in Thy great
mercy, and accept of this my Evening Sacrifice! I bless Thee for all
that gladdens my earthly lot, for food and raiment, for friends and
home, for health of body and soundness of mind. Lord, I delight to
trace the wondrous way by which Thou hast hitherto led me! Thou hast
compassed my path and my lying down. Thou hast supplied my
ever-recurring necessities. My wants have been infinite, but infinite
too has been the gracious supply. With a grateful heart I would set up
my Ebenezer, saying, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped me." And
remembering Thy faithfulness in the past, I would confidently trust
Thee for the future.
May I thankfully employ the manifold gifts of Thy bounty. Impress upon
me the feeling that I am but a steward, responsible to Thee for all I
possess. Let me not selfishly appropriate the varied means of
usefulness thou hast put within my power, but willingly employ these
in Thy service for the good of others. When Thou comest to demand a
reckoning, may I be able to give a faithful account of my stewardship,
paying Thee Thine own with usury.
Lord, while I bless Thee for the other proofs and tokens of Thy love,
far above all would I bless Thee for _Jesus_. Where would I have been
this night but for _Him_? How dreary would have been the past! How
dismal and hopeless the future! Thanks, eternal Thanks be unto God for
His unspeakable gift! Let me feel, more than I _have_ done, the
exceeding riches of Thy grace in Thy kindness toward me through Christ
Jesus. Let all Thy dealings only serve to confirm my love to Him, and
to lead me to cleave to Him with fuller purpose of heart. May he have
my undivided homage. Let no earthly gift or blessing supplant the
Giver, but may every rill of creative bliss be doubly sweet to me as
flowing from His atoning sacrifice.
I rejoice in the midst of trial and perplexity to think of Thee, Thou
tried and suffering _One_. I rejoice that amid my sorrows I can
remember _Thine_, that amid my very tears, I can remember _Jesus
wept_. Thou canst enter into all the peculiarities of Thy people's
case, for Thou wert in "_all_ points tempted." Let me feel, even amid
the changes of life, that what I am apt to call vicissitudes, are the
sovereign decrees and allotments of Thine infinite wisdom; and what I
cannot comprehend now, be it mine to wait the disclosures of that
blessed morning when, standing at the luminous portals of Heaven, I
shall joyfully acknowledge that the Lord hath done all things well.
Bless my beloved friends; may they be growing in thy fear and favor;
may they all at last, as sheaves in thy heavenly garner, be found unto
praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
I commend myself, gracious God, to Thy care; let me retire to rest
this night in the blessed consciousness of Thy favor; and if spared to
see the light of a new day, fit me for whatsoever Thou hast in store
for me. And all I ask is for Jesus' sake. Amen.
"LET MY PRAYER BE SET FORTH BEFORE THEE AS
INCENSE: AND THE LIFTING UP OF MY HANDS
AS THE EVENING SACRIFICE."