32. Morning Prayer in Illness

EXHORTATION.

"As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud; and he shall hear my voice."—Psalm lv. 16, 17.

Although God permits illness to befall us, we must not on that account abstain from prayer, but must pray the more; and the more our sickness increases in severity, the more fervent should our prayers become, as Luke testifies of Christ: "And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly."—Luke xxii. 44. 1. When laid by God upon a bed of sickness, we should raise our hearts to God at break of day, and praise him for the protection extended during the past night. If the night's rest has been disturbed and broken, we should pray for relief; if it has been quiet and calm, our thanks are due to God. MORNING PRAYER IN ILLNESS.

2. Having thus directed our hearts to God in the morning, we should bring our prayers to the throne of grace, recommend ourselves to the divine protection for the day, think of God, and suffer patiently what he inflicts upon us.

3. We must remember that Jesus stands at our bed of sickness, to refresh and watch over, and also to teach and instruct us. Possibly, while in health, we have not been properly assiduous in our attention upon divine worship and in prayer; God desires to make us conscious of this remissness, so that we may learn to pray more devoutly, and to see that comfort fails us because in times of health we have not laid in a sufficient store of comforts and Bible passages. If we have loved God and his word, sickness is to be regarded as a dispensation to enable us to make a practical application of what we have heard of patience, trust in God, calmness, and resignation unto the will of God. O most holy triune God! Father, Son and Holy Ghost! I come before thy most holy throne, and thank thee that thou hast let me live to behold this day. Thou knowest, Lord, how I have spent the night upon my bed of sickness; yet I cannot sufficiently praise thee that thou hast suffered me again to behold the light MORNING PRAYER IN ILLNESS.

of the sun, and all my pains and pangs to pass away. O thou God of love! I thank thee for thy boundless love. O mighty God! I thank thee for thy blessing and assistance. Thine eye has watched over me this night; thy hand has covered me, thy grace has kept me. O my God! the sun rises again: O let thy grace also rise over me anew; give me this day new powers, new grace and new patience, to bear my woes willingly and calmly. Lord, my God, it has pleased thee to lay me upon this bed of sickness; I will remain upon it as long as it pleases thee. Perhaps it is thy purpose to separate me from my accustomed sins, and to speak with me alone, to teach and direct me how I shall serve the interests of my soul. I now have time to review my past life, to inquire whether I have served, honored and obeyed thee. I am grieved and ashamed, and desire to be truly penitent, and to make a new covenant with thee, and to work out my salvation with fear and trembling.—Grant, O Jesus! that I may have my heart with thee all day, that I may pray devoutly, think of thy wounds, blood, and death, and meditate the true salvation and eternal welfare of my soul. Remind me of the comforts of thy holy word; assure me of thy fatherly kindness; seal the promise of thy grace upon my heart, and make me certain of thy speedy deliverance. Guard me to-day against sudden attacks, new pains, sorrowful hours, and all sorts of suffering. Refresh me in my prostration, and strengthen me in my weakness by thy Holy Ghost. But if it be thy will that I should have pain and suffering this day, O remain with me, and do not forsake me. Help me to end the day in peace and bliss, and to accept in calmness and resignation whatsoever thou layest upon me. Behold, here am I, Lord, do with me according to thy will; thou art my Father, I am thy child: thou canst preserve my life, and make me rejoice with thy comfort. At evening, I will extol thy goodness, and heartily praise thy mercy for all thy benefits. My body and my soul, with my mind and understanding, I consign to thee, great God! into thy mighty hand. Lord, my Shield, my Glory and my Greatness, take me for thine own. Send thy angel to me, to avert the power, cunning and designs of the evil one, and to watch over me, and at the last, to lead me to the rest of thy saints. Amen. 1. In distress, and pain, and sickness,

I have spent the weary night;

Now, I feel a flush of quickness,

With the sun's returning light.

Therefore, to begin the day,

Let me read, and sing, and pray;

Though 'tis faint and feebly spoken,

God will not disdain the token.

2. Lord, it is by thy appointment

That I here am racked with pain;

And thy Spirit's best anointment

Rests on all thou dost ordain.

When a father smites his son

For his welfare it is done;

I receive thy dispensation

Gith a glad anticipation.

3. By thy grace, another morning

I have now been spared to see;

Let me see the night returning

If thy gracious will it be.

Give my spirit rest and peace

And my body's anguish, ease.

Shed thy grace, in all its splendor,

Gladness to my soul to render.

4. Yet thy will shall be the measure

Of my wishes, Lord I alone;

Yes, thy sovereign will and pleasure

In all things be surely done.

If my sufferings must be long,

My obedience shall be strong.

Life and death, together knitted,

All are to thy will committed.

EVENING PRAYER IN ILLNESS.