Page:The Book of Family Worship.pdf/268

 256 THIRTY-FIFTH WEEK.

day haye been showered down upon us. We repose ourselves im safety, ander Thy protection, for Thou art a strong tower, and into Thy handa we commend our apirits. Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LORD Jesus Christ, Thou art mighty to save. Thou hast overcome the direst of our enemies, and in the great work of our redemption Thou hast led captivity captive. Thou hast glorified Thy humanity to its very ultimate principle, so that the vilest of the vile might have access to Thee. Can we then fear that the power of our enemies is greater than Omnipotence itself? In what can unbelief originate, but in evil and hardness of heart? O teach us that Thou art still the same; Thou art still mighty to save; Thy hand is not shortened. "In the time of trouble Thou shalt hide us in Thy pavilion; in the secret of Thy tabernacle shalt Thou hide us; Thou shalt set our feet upon a rock." Lord, teach as to rest more fully and faithfully upon Thee. Bring us out of our wilderness state of doubt and perplexity. Our minds have been as a desert, where no water is. Do Thou open up springs in them. Irrigate them by the water of Thy divine truth. Prepare them by trial for holier and purer states, so that there may be in our individual experience a fulfilment of the words of prophecy, "In the desert, the thirsty land where no water is. He openeth springs. Instead of the thorn. He maketh the fir trees to come up; instead of the brier, the myrtle. In the midst of the habitation of dragons, He maketh green pastures arise, and still waters flow round His people." Amen.

Our Father, etc.

LORD Jesus Christ, we humbly pray Thee to increase our faith. Thou, who hast been our unchangeable Friend, let gratitude mark our sense of Thy love. As often as the friendship of man has failed, Thou hast been even closer to us than a brother. Kindle within us the holy flame of gratitude. Make us sensible of how great things Thou hast done for us, and hast had compassion upon us. Teach us how best we can show our gratitude for all Thy benefits. It is by doing our duty faithfully, by loving our neighbour as ourselves, by distributing with a free and bounteous hand to others what Thou so freely and bounteously hast bestowed upon us, and acknowledging Thee as the source of all good, that our gratitude is best shown. When we comfort the afflicted, when we minister to the distressed, when we deal out, both spiritually and temporally, our bread to the hungry, that Thou art pleased with us, it is then that we feel inward peace and joy, and the words of the wise man come pleasantly to our souls, "Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart, for God now accepteth thy works." Lord, make us grateful in the true spirit of Thy words. With this petition we finish another week of our existence. Bless all the good we have done, and may we feel grateful for the