Tuesday, Week 5

Beloved, I pray that in every way you may prosper and enjoy good health, as your soul also prospers.
— 3 John 1:2 (BSB)

Always respond to every impulse to pray. The impulse to pray may come when you are reading or when you are battling with a text. I would make an absolute law of this: always obey such an impulse.
— Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Father, as we creep to Your feet, at the close of the day, we beseech You to bless us. The day has not been made white with obedience, as we meant to make it when we set out in the morning. We wanted . . .
to do only Your will,
to be gentle and kindly in all our thought, feeling, and speech,
to keep a sweet temper,
and to live unselfishly.

We fell far below our intention. We were asleep, when we ought to have been waking and watching. Forgive us all this weakness, for You know how frail we are. Have mercy upon us and bless us, as we bow now at Your feet, and grant us Your peace at the ending of the day.

Father, there are many we would pray for. Remember each one of our own household. We cannot tell You the deepest needs of each. Indeed we do not know ourselves, what our realest needs are. Ofttimes the things we want and think we need — would only do us hurt if we had them. What seems to us a loaf of bread — is only a stone, and would not feed us if we had it. Ofttimes the things we would like to have taken out of our life, thinking that they are hindering us — are just the things we need to bless us. We know not what we should pray for. Hence we ask simply that You will bless us. Take each one of us into Your tender care, and do with us whatever will be the best for us.

Hide us away now under Your sheltering wings during the darkness. You have promised to give blessings to Your beloved in their sleep. May we arise in the morning strong for the new day.

We ask for these favors, with hearts grateful for past mercies and full of hope and confidence for the future, in the name of Jesus. Amen.