Sunday, Week 1

Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.
— 2 Chronicles 6:21 (BSB)

Prevailing prayer makes men invincible.
— Samuel Chadwick

At the close of this blessed Sunday, we come to You, our Father, with our evening worship. We thank You for all the day has been to us, with its quiet, its sweet home life, its services, and its opportunities for ministry. Sanctify to us all these privileges, and may their influence follow us all the week. May we be able to bear our burdens more cheerfully, to do our work better, to endure our struggles more victoriously, by reason of this Sunday's blessing.

We desire to grow in grace, in knowledge of spiritual things, and in whatever things are lovely. May the results of this day's rest and teachings abide in us . . .
in quickened spiritual life,
in deeper earnestness, and
in intenser hunger and thirst after righteousness.

May Your words which we have read and heard stay with us, hidden in our hearts, helping us to live more worthily. May they . . .
comfort our sorrow,
strengthen our weakness,
enrich our knowledge, and
brighten our paths for us.

We beseech You, O God, to follow with Your blessing, the work which has been done this day in the churches. Thousands of earnest ministers have preached the gospel; bless every word spoken in love for Jesus. Let not a grain of the golden seed of truth be lost — but may the Holy Spirit use sermons and lessons and the words dropped by the wayside, to do good.

We remember in special love all our friends, all who are dear to us, all who speak our names to You in prayer. Whatever their circumstances, grant them the blessing which they need.

Receive us now into Your care for the night. Spread over us the sheltering wings of Your love and keep us, we ask for Jesus' sake. Amen.