Friday, Week 4

Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him.
— Psalm 4:3 (BSB)

I have benefited by my praying for others; for by making an errand to God for them, I have gotten something for myself.
— Samuel Rutherford

The shadows have deepened around us, O God, and we creep near to You. As birds fly to their nest when night comes, as little children run to their home — so would we flee to You. Receive us and shelter us in Your divine love. We thank You that we have access to You; that though we have sinned, Jesus Christ died for sinners, and the way is open to us. We have no right to come to You, but through the mediation of Your Son. In His name we come, pleading for forgiveness and for access.

May Your blessing be upon all the work of our hands today. It has been faulty. But may You take it and build it into Your kingdom. You are using the weak things, the base things, and things that are nothing — and You can use even the poor broken fragments of this day's efforts.

We ask for a special blessing on our home tonight. Bless our home-life. May each one of us know well his part in making the home beautiful and blessed — and then may we all do what we know we should do, to bring the fullness of Jesus' peace into our home. May our fellowship as a family become more and more tender and affectionate. Save us from all bitterness and impatience, and all irritability, and from being easily provoked. May our home-love be strengthened, and may we learn to live together sweetly.

We would remember our neighbors. You have commanded us to love our neighbor as ourselves. We desire to obey You, and we ask You to teach us this divine love. If we have failed today, forgive us. Grant us more and more of Your love — and then we can love aright.

Hear us, O God, in our prayer, and grant us Your holy peace. We ask all in the name of Christ Jesus. Amen.