Friday, Week 6

I call on You, O God, for You will answer me. Incline Your ear to me; hear my words.
— Psalm 17:6 (BSB)

Our prayers are heard, not because we are in earnest, not because we suffer, but because Jesus suffered.
— Oswald Chambers

You alone, O Lord, make us to dwell in safety. We lie down at night under the shadow of Your wings, and our sleep is sweet — because You sustain us. We ask You now for another night of rest and comfort. As the sun has gone down, leaving darkness over us, we are reminded of our need of You. We have no power to keep or to care for ourselves. Be our protection this night. Let no evil assail us, let no plague come near our dwelling, let nothing alarm us.

As the stars have come out at the going down of the sun — we are reminded of the promises of Your grace, which come out when the sun of prosperity or of human gladness sets above us. We would never see the stars, but for night — and we thank You for the many uplifting, comforting words in the Scripture, which we would never have seen, but for our trouble and sorrow. We have gotten many a precious meaning in Scripture, in time of trial, which we never saw before. Make Your word more and more a treasure house of reserved goodness, which You will give to us as we have need.

Grant to us an evening blessing. Sanctify our home life. May our love for each other grow more tender every day. Help us to find the best in each other. Help us each to give to the other the best that is in us. Preserve us from impatience, from lack of sweet courtesy — and give us grace to be kind the one to the other. May we learn from Jesus Christ, how to love at home. Enable us to be helpful to each other, making each other better, richer in life, braver, stronger.

In Your great mercy, O God, forgive us all our sins, and bring us at last into Your heavenly kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. Amen.