Blessed day to you Dear Readers, I am going to do my best to type out a morning prayer and evening prayer each day from a book I was given last summer. The title sums up for me how this book has impacted my life. If you take the time to read you will get the deep picture of what I am saying.
The book is A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie. He states that his book is not to replace personal, private prayers, but to enhance them.
First Day Morning
Eternal Father of my soul, let my first thought today be of Thee, let my first impulse be to worship Thee, let my first speech be Thy name, let my first action be to kneel before Thee in prayer.
For Thy perfect wisdom and perfect goodness:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest mankind:
For the love wherewith Thou lovest me:
For the great and mysterious opportunity of my life:
For the indwelling of Thy spirit in my heart:
For the sevenfold gifts of Thy Spirit:
I praise and worship Thee O Lord.
Yet, let me not when this morning prayer is said, think my worship ended and spend the day in forgetfulness of Thee. Rather, from these moments of quietness let light go forth, and joy, and power, that will remain with me through all the hours of the day:
Keeping me chaste in thought:
Keeping me temperate and truthful in speech:
Keeping me faithful and diligent in my work:
Keeping me humble in my estimation of myself:
Keeping me honourable and generous in my dealings with others:
Keeping me loyal to every hallowed memory of the past:
Keeping me mindful of my eternal destiny as a child of Thee.
O God, who hast been the Refuge of my fathers through many generations, be my Refuge to-day in every time and circumstance of need. Be my Guide through all that is dark and doubtful. Be my Guard against all that threatens my spirit's welfare. Be my Strength in time of testing. Gladden my heart with Thy peace; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.
First Day Evening
O Thou who art from everlasting to everlasting, I would turn my thoughts to Thee as the hours of darkness and of sleep begin. O Sun of my soul, I rejoice to know that all night I shall be under the unsleeping eye of One who dwells in eternal light.
To Thy care, O Father, I would now commend my body and my soul. All day Thou hast watched over me and Thy companionship has filled my heart with peace. Let me not go through any part of this night unaccompanied by Thee.
Give me sound and refreshing sleep:
Give me safety from all perils:
Give me in my sleep freedom from restless dreams:
Give me control of my thoughts, if I should lie awake:
Give me wisdom to remember that the night was made for sleeping, and not for the harbouring
of anxious or fretful or shameful thoughts.
Give me grace, if as I lie abed I think at all, to think upon Thee.
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful
lips; when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Psalm 63:5-6
To Thy care also, O Father, I would commend my friends, beseeching Thee to keep them safe in soul and body and to be present in their hearts to-night as a Spirit of power and of joy and of restfulness. I pray for...……… and...………...and ………… I pray also for the wider circle of all my associates, my fellow workers, my fellow townsmen, and all strangers within our gates; and the great world of men without, to me foreign and unknown, but dear to Thee, through Jesus Christ our common
Lord. Amen
In Joy
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