Thursday, Week 3

Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
— 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (BSB)

Any burden too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.
— Corrie Ten Boom

Lord, You have been our dwelling-place in all generations. Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. We desire to make You, our heart's home. We are not at home in this poor world, for we are not secure here. All things pass away. The mountains shall depart, and the hills shall be removed. Our souls are immortal and can find no home on this earth — no place where they will be sure of undisturbed rest forever. You alone are enduring and eternal, and only in You, can our souls find a suitable home, a refuge of love which will be sure forever. Help us to make our home in You.

We thank You for this our earthly home. We thank You for the love that binds us together, for the refuge we find here from this world's enmities. Here we can trust each other, and are sure of each other's love. Deepen our home affections. Draw us closer together as a family. Make our home-life sweeter. Enable us to be more helpful to each other. Teach us patience in our family and in all our mingling together. Help us to find the best things in each other, and to give one to the other the best things of love we have in our hearts.

May our home-life to day be tender and affectionate. Fill us with Your divine love, so that heart and lips shall overflow, and that in us may grow whatever things are lovely. You know our special needs — and we ask for personal blessings. Forgive us all our sins. Comfort us in our sorrows.

Give us now a blessing as we go out into the world. May we live so as to be ever receiving from Jesus — and then enable us to be ever giving out again the good things of divine love. We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.