"sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."—john xvii. 17.
blessed lord, do thou bend thy pitying eye of love and mercy upon me this evening. draw thou near to me as i venture once more on praying and on pleading ground. i desire to feel that i am one night nearer glory. oh, enable me to feel, as night after night is silently {17} stealing over my head, that my seasons and opportunities of grace are fleeting fast away, and that soon the night cometh, wherein i can work no more.
alas! o god, how little have i improved the time that is past! i am a wonder to myself, that with all my deep ingratitude and utter vileness i am yet permitted to approach thy footstool: i have sinned against light and love—warning and mercy—grace and privilege. the retrospect of life is a retrospect of guilt. i mourn over my manifold shortcomings—the alienation of my heart from thee—the fitfulness of my spiritual frames—the ebbings and flowings in the tide of my love. when tried by the lofty and unerring standard of thy law, how are my best actions and duties marred with defilement! how much self-seeking and self-glorying—how little animated by the predominating motive of love to thee, and singleness of eye to thy service!
blessed jesus! i flee anew to the pavilion of thy love. i have no other hope, no other refuge, but in thy finished work—thy matchless atonement—thy spotless righteousness. {18} there is in thee an all-sufficiency for every want. finite necessities cannot exhaust infinite fullness. let me hear thy voice saying, "thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven thee!" o sprinkle me with thy blood; sanctify me, body, soul, and spirit. transform me more and more into thine own image. may i know more and more the happiness of true holiness—that i am really blessed in seeking to walk so as to please god. may the power of grace wax stronger and stronger, and the power of sin wax weaker and weaker. may trials and crosses become light and easy to me when borne in a spirit of meek, unrepining submission to the divine will. may this quiet every doubt and misgiving, "your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things." lord, may every providential dealing prove a heart-searcher, testing the reality of my love to thee, and my meetness and preparedness for thy heavenly kingdom.
extend, lord, thy cause and gospel everywhere. strengthen thy missionary and ministering servants. may they ever hear the sound of their master's footsteps behind them. may {19} thy churches walk in the fear of god and in the comfort of the holy ghost.
bless all my beloved friends wherever they are; do thou be their almighty protector and guide. let the angel come at this the time of evening incense, touching all our hearts, and granting us an answer to our several petitions. let us rise to-morrow refreshed for thy service; and fitted for whatsoever in thy good providence we may be called either to do or to suffer. hear me, gracious god, for the sake of him whom thou hearest always. amen.
"let my prayer be set forth before thee as
incense: and the lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice."
