Monday, Week 10

The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day, and at night His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life.
— Psalm 42:8 (BSB)

Prayer is the way we work our way out of the comfortable but cramped world of self and into the spacious world of God.
— Eugene Peterson

O God, who grants mercy and truth to Your people, from generation to generation — we come with confidence to You. You have never allowed any who came to You, to be turned away. Not one word of Yours has ever failed of fulfillment. Your promises have always been kept with those who have accepted them and leaned upon them. Your name has been a strong tower to every one who has run into it for safety. You are . . .
an everlasting rock,
an eternal refuge,
a very present help in times of trouble, to all who have turned to You.

We come as Your children to You at the beginning of a new day. Your mercies are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. We beseech You to show us Your face before we go out into the day. If we have Your blessing, we shall not fear any experiences that we may have to meet. In the light of Your countenance may we walk all the hours — and then we shall be safe. Put into our hearts holy thoughts and heavenly aspirations. We desire to live the heavenly life in this world, and we can do it only if You will put Your thoughts into our minds.

We are going out into a world that is full of evil, with unholy influences on every side. We have no power of our own to move through all this evil world — to keep ourselves unspotted. We come to You for grace to help us. May You keep us from the evil. Keep our hearts, that only holy feelings and desires may spring up in them. Preserve us from the power of evil in others around us. Let us . . .
not listen to wicked suggestions,
nor be swayed by wrong examples,
nor yield to unholy motives.
Let not passion or appetite rule us.

We commit ourselves to Your safe keeping, in Jesus Christ. Amen.