Tuesday, Week 2

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer.
— Psalm 4:1 (BSB)

Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of His willingness.
— Martin Luther

Evening has come again, O God, and we gather back at Your feet. You have kept us through the day, and given us many blessings. We are grateful to You for them all. Fix in our hearts, to abide there forever, every good thing that has come to us this day — the good thoughts that have warmed our hearts, the gentle impressions made upon us by our friends, all that has come to us through books or through nature. Teach us to number our days, so that we may get a heart of wisdom from the things we experience. We would grow wiser with each passing day. So we ask You to teach us all that we should learn from this day, before the day is folded up and put away.

We would remember our friends. Some of them may be in anxiety, or perhaps in sore temptation. We pray for these friends of ours, that the holy things of life may be theirs. We cannot do much to help them — but we can pray for them, and You can reach down Your hand and help them in all true, wise, and holy ways. We put them — all our dear ones — into Your care, leaving them with You. Do for them what is best. Lead them in paths of Your own choosing.

We would remember before You, the great world. It lies in sin. Over our heads is the celestial city — but underneath us and around us is darkness, with all its assailing powers, ready to harm and destroy us. We plead tonight for the lost ones — that You will have mercy upon them and save them. Show us where they are, and send us out to find them, that in Your name we may carry gospel blessing to them. Bless us upon our beds, and give us Your protection and Fatherly blessing. We ask all this through Jesus Christ. Amen.