Saturday, Week 13

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
— 1 Peter 3:12 (BSB)

God will either give you what you ask, or something far better.
— Robert Murray M'Cheyne

O God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father, we draw near to You with love and faith, at this eventide. Graciously pardon all our sins, which are many — and give us Your peace. We are Yours, Your own children — and we owe to You the best honor, obedience, and service which it is possible for us to render. Help us to fulfill our obligations and to meet our responsibilities.

We thank You for Your goodness to us this past week. You have showered Your blessings upon us with a most bountiful hand. You have given us favors of many kinds. Some of Your gifts have come to us in strange form — in trials, in burdens, in disappointments, in losses. Still we know that they are Your gifts, and as such have in them good and blessing for our lives. Give us grace to accept whatever You send to us, knowing that Your love can never give us anything but kindness. Even if the cup is bitter — may we be enabled to accept it.

We yearn for deeper, richer blessing upon our household. We would grow more like our Savior. May our home life be such that we shall find in it always sanctifying influences. May our tender human affections enlarge our hearts so that we shall love You more. May we learn to live together patiently, thoughtfully, unselfishly, doing each other good and never evil.

Come and be our guest, O You who were a guest in the old Bethany home, bearing there so much comfort, so much love — blessing the little home so deeply. Come and be our guest and bring to our home, all that you took to that old-time home. Bless us everyone with present and eternal blessings. We ask in Your precious name. Amen.