"Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul
unto Thee."--Psalm cxliii. 8.
O God, Thy favor is life, Thy loving-kindness is better than life. Thy
mercies have been new to me every morning, and Thy faithfulness every
night. Thou hast watched over me from the earliest years of infancy
with more than a Father's care. The kindness of the kindest on earth
has been coldness itself when compared with Thine. I rejoice that I
can thus trace in a wondrous past the visible footsteps of Thy love,
and fearlessly trust and repose in Thee for the future.
Thou art a rich provider. None so able, none so willing to guide me in
every perplexity, to extricate me from every difficulty, and to
befriend me amid the fitful changes of life. What a safe anchorage is
this amid the world's restless surges of vicissitude, "The Lord
reigneth!" Do Thou enable me wholly to follow the Lord my God; to
follow Thee not only in smooth places, but even when the path is rough
and the way thorny. May I confide in the wisdom of all Thine
allotments. I rejoice that all the changes Thou orderest for Thy
covenant people are changes for the _better_, and not for the _worse_.
O blessed Jesus! Thou who art the true pillar of cloud by day, and of
fire by night, do Thou precede me ever in all my wilderness
wanderings. May I encamp only where Thou leadest me. May I strike my
tent only when Thou speakest that I "go forward." Let me experience
the conscious happiness of knowing no will but Thine, and of being
solicitous in all things to follow the guiding voice and footsteps of
the Great Shepherd of the flock. If there be aught in Thy providence
perplexing me now, I would say in child-like simplicity, "I am
oppressed, undertake Thou for me!" "My heart is overwhelmed, lead me
to the Rock that is higher than I." Hide me in the crevices of that
smitten Rock; let me know the safety and joy of being shielded
_there_, until earth's calamities be overpast.
Graciously forgive all the sins of this past day--the sins of thought,
word and deed; all my selfishness and uncharitableness; all my pride
and vain-glory; all my censoriousness and inconsideration of the
wishes and feelings of others. Blessed Jesus! let me follow more
closely Thy holy footsteps, and drink more deeply of Thy heavenly
spirit.
Bless all in sorrow, sanctify to them their trials, may they see and
own a "need be" in them all. Prepare the dying for death, and spare
useful lives.
Take all belonging to me this night under the shield of Thy protecting
providence, let them ever commit their way onto Thee, and do Thou
bring it to pass. Hold up their goings in Thy word, that their
footsteps may not stumble.
Watch over me during the unconscious hours of sleep; and when all my
days and nights on earth are finished, may it be mine to enjoy Thy
presence in a cloudless, nightless Heaven; through Jesus Christ, my
blessed Lord and Saviour. Amen.
"LET MY PRAYER BE SET FORTH BEFORE THEE AS
INCENSE: AND THE LIFTING UP OF MY HANDS
AS THE EVENING SACRIFICE."