Saturday, Week 8

I cried out to Him with my mouth and praised Him with my tongue. If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
— Psalm 66:17-18 (BSB)

We think of prayer as a preparation for work, or a calm after having done work, whereas prayer is the essential work.
— Oswald Chambers

We come into Your presence, O great and glorious God, to begin the day at Your feet. Without Your blessing, we dare not go out into the twisting paths of the world. We desire to do good work today. Keep us from being satisfied with commonplace doing of duty; may we do even the least things finely, so as to please You.

We desire to live well in our family life. We sometimes fail to do our best in our own home. We grow careless. We do not speak as affectionately as we should do. We are less courteous and kindly than we might be. We do not always give the sweetest things of love to those who are nearest. Teach us, Father, to love at home — and to show our love. Preserve us from all impatience, fretfulness, and irritability in our association as a household, and give us the spirit of love.

We desire also to manifest love in all our relations with the world. Give us large charity towards our neighbors. Help us to be like Jesus, who when reviled, reviled not again — who bore injury and insult with meekness and gentleness. May we have the same patient love which He had. If we suffer wrong from others — may we suffer in quietness, without resentment, returning good for evil, kindness for unkindness.

May we have the spirit of helpfulness toward all our neighbors. May we be like the good Samaritan to any we find in distress or need. May we be enabled to carry something of the love of Jesus to every life that touches ours. Make us good interpreters of Jesus' divine love and kindness. May our neighbors see in us, the holiness of Jesus. So may our day be one of beauty and grace, full of Jesus and full of good to others. We ask it in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.