Prayer - Father, as the Brightness of a New Day Has Come to Us

Father, as the brightness of a new day has come to us, we wait before You to get Your blessing. We desire to make this a new beginning of life. We would forget the things that are past. We would forget . . .

our past mistakes and sins,

our past sorrows, and

our past battles and struggles.

We begin this new day, asking for grace to live a new life that shall honor You, and bless the world.

As we go forth to our day's tasks, we ask for Your special presence with us. We plead Your promises. You have said, "As your days -- so shall your strength be!" You have said, "Lo I am with you always -- even unto the end of the world!" We wait for the fulfillment of these promises. We need Your guidance and help at every step. We are weak -- but You can make us strong to endure. May You empower us with Your Spirit, that we may carry something of the love of Jesus to those whom we shall meet. We desire to live in the world, as those who belong to Heaven, carrying Heaven's love in our hearts, and Heaven's brightness in our faces.

Conscious of our weakness, we cast our lives with all their burdens of infirmity, upon You -- and ask You to keep us. May You watch over each one of us and bring us all together again in the evening, if it be Your will. But if our circle should be broken, if any of us should be taken away from earth -- receive us into the Father's house, to go no more out forever!

We pray for those with whom life will go hard today -- for the poor, the sick, the tempted, those in sorrow's darkness. Manifest Yourself to them in tender love.

Hear us in these our morning prayers. Keep us from all evil. Help us to faithfully do every duty. We ask all this in Jesus' precious name. Amen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

MONDAY EVENING

Now at the closing of the day, our Father, we come back again to You. You have heard our prayers. You have kept us from accident and harm. You have blessed us in many ways. We thank you for the blessings we have had, for the health and comfort of the day. We now bring all that we have done, to Your feet. Whatever of it has pleased You -- accept and bless. The things we have done that did not please You -- we beg You to forgive, cleansing our hearts from sin. The efforts we have made to help or comfort others -- please accept and use. We have tried to be cheerful in difficulties and under discouragements. We thank You for the strength You have given us, helping us to endure. If we have cast shadows upon any other life today, by fretting and discontent -- we beg Your forgiveness. We have tried to speak kind words to those we have met -- and we ask You to use these words to give cheer and courage.

Now at the ending of the day, as the darkness has come over us -- we beg You to shelter us. You are our keeper. You neither slumber nor sleep. We shall be safe through the night -- because You will be watching over us.

We would not forget our friends. Some of them are far from us -- but all are near to You. Some of our friends may be in trouble. Some of them may be in great need. Some of them may be drawing near to death. You know all their dangers and needs; may You give to each of them the blessing that will do them the greatest good. Remember the homeless and the lonely tonight.

Receive us now into Your care, keep us through the darkness, and bring us again to the morning light, if it be Your will. If not, bring us to Heaven's morning, which is far better. We ask in Jesus' precious name. Amen.