"the life which i live in the flesh i live by the faith of the son of god, who loved me, and gave himself for me."—gal. ii. 20.
o god, i desire to draw near unto thy blessed presence on this the evening of another {57} day, adoring thee for all the loving-kindness thou art continually making to pass before me. may i ever be enabled to look up to thee as the author and bestower of all my mercies. may no created good ever be suffered to dispossess thee of my affections. may all that i enjoy, alike temporal and spiritual, be traced to thee, the fountain of all happiness. may prosperity be hallowed by receiving it as a pledge of thy favor, and may trial lose its bitterness by the consciousness that every thorn in my path is permitted by thee, and every bitter drop in the cup appointed by thee.
may i thus seek, o god, from day to day, to live a life of simple faith and dependence on thy grace; with confiding love may i commit my every care and want and perplexity to thy better direction, feeling sweetly assured that thou wilt guide me by a right way to the city of habitation.
above all would i seek a renewed interest in those covenant blessings which christ died to purchase and which he is exalted to bestow. all my hope is in him; weak, helpless, perishing, i flee to him, as the help and hope and {58} portion of all who seek him. hide me, o blessed jesus, in thy wounded side. i would overcome alone through the blood of the lamb. wash me thoroughly in thy precious blood. may i hear thine own voice of pardoning love saying, "your sins which are many are all forgiven."
after all thou hast done for me, let me harbor no guilty and unworthy suspicions of thy faithfulness. let me feel assured that tender love regulates all thy allotments. thou art pledged to use the dealing and discipline best suited for thy people's case, and what will best effect thine own will concerning them, even their sanctification. carry on within me thine own work in thine own way. fortify me against temptation; let me not surrender myself to the base compliances of a world lying in wickedness. but, strong in the lord and in the power of his might, may i know that he who is with me is greater far than all that can be against me. oh enkindle afresh my expiring, languishing love; let me live more under the influence of "things not seen," having the eye of faith more upwards {59} and homewards, looking for that blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of the great god my saviour.
let thy kingdom come! arise, o god, and plead thine own cause. may all the ends of the earth soon be gladdened with the gospel's joyful sound!
bless all in sorrow, all bereaved of near and dear friends; may they see no hand in their trials but thine. thou givest us our blessings; and when thou seest meet thou revokest the grant. let us see love in every threatening wave, all rolling at thy bidding.
lord, take the charge of me this night. abide with me, blessed saviour, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent. oh, may it be mine to feel that each successive evening as it brings me nearer eternity, is ripening me for its never-ending joys. and all i ask is for jesus' sake. amen.
"let my prayer be set forth before thee as
incense: and the lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice."
