Monday, Week 1

and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
— 2 Chronicles 7:14 (BSB)

Without set times of prayer, the spirit of prayer will be dull and feeble. Without the continual prayerfulness, the set times will not avail.
— Andrew Murray

We are beginning another work-day week, our Father, and we desire Your blessing. Sanctify to us the Sunday's rest, and may its lessons not be forgotten. May we carry them with us into the busy days. We shall have so much to do that we may not find time for quiet thoughts; but may the memories of Sunday cling to us through all the hours and prove continual inspirations to us. May the Sunday songs keep singing in our hearts all the while, as we go about our work, making music there wherever we go.

Help us to live out, this week, in our common, everyday life — the things we learned yesterday in Your sanctuary. We want to make all our faith real in actual life. We have seen visions of spiritual beauty as we meditated upon Your word; we desire to get these visions into our life, so that we shall have the beauty of the Lord upon us. We have read again Your commandments as they are written in Your word; we desire now to keep these commandments, so that our lives shall conform to Your holy law.

But it is hard for us to be holy and to do right. We make good resolves on Sunday, and we intend to keep them. But in the busy week-days we forget our good resolutions, and easily drop back into our old carelessness. We need more and more of Your grace, to help us to be faithful and to do our best. The spirit is willing — but the flesh is weak. Strengthen us, our Father, that we may diligently perform our vows, keep our promises, and fulfill our intentions of obedience and service.

So may Sunday's life flow over into our week-days, making them all bright with love and truth and holiness. Let us not fail in any part of our work, duty, or struggle. We ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.