Invocations: God of Our Fathers and Our God

God of Our Fathers, and Our God

Blessed be Thy Name, Thou ever-living God. Our neighbours die; friend after friend departs; few of us have not lost someone dear to us; but Thou abidest the same, and of Thy years there is no end. We come to Thee. Thou art this day as strong to deliver as in our fathers' time; as true to Thy promise, and as mighty to perform Thy Covenant as when Thou spakest unto Abraham at Mamre, or didst work mightily in the field of Zoan for the Children of Israel. Thou, O God, art for ever strong and mighty. Never can Thine arm know palsy, nor can Thy brow decay. We look up to Thee with joyful confidence, knowing that Thou art an inexhaustible fountain of every good thing, and believing that Thou wilt supply our need out of the riches of Thy fullness of glory by Christ Jesus. Wilt Thou refresh our souls. We come as the Children of Israel came to the wells of Elim, and we would now sit by the palm-trees thereof. Let our souls gather strength. Give comfort to the mourners; give rebuke to those that slumber, and a word in season to everyone. As for the minister, may he be as one that bringeth forth out of the treasury things new and old. May there be food fitted for strong men, as well as milk for babes, and may we all of us retire from the Master's house feeling that He has satisfied us with good things, and made us rejoice in Himself. Our Father, hear and bless us for Jesus' sake. Amen.

April 19 (Morning), 1863.