Family Prayers

By Ashton Oxenden & C. H. Ramsden

 

SECOND WEEK—SUNDAY EVENING

 

O HEAVENLY FATHER, we desire to close this holy day by once more drawing near to Thee in prayer. We bring to Thee all the sins and failings of another Sabbath; and we beseech Thee of Thy great mercy to pardon them. O Lord, when we look back on our best days, and our holiest employments, we see that sin has clouded them; and we have need to come to the Savior’s cross with the publican’s cry on our lips, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ Forgive, Lord, for Christ’s sake, all our sins, and especially those which we have committed on our knees. What coldness has there been in our prayers! What wanderings of thought! What deadness and unbelief in our souls! O Savior, do Thou graciously cleanse us from all our secret faults.

 

But, O Lord, while we have reason to be humbled for all that has been amiss, we have also reason to be grateful for our many mercies. We praise Thee that Thy Word has been set before us; that the way of life has been pointed out to us that we have again heard of a Savior’s love. Blessed be Thy name, if Christ has seemed in any degree more precious to us, and heaven more welcome. Blessed be Thy name, if our faith has been this day strengthened, our hearts warmed, and our hopes confirmed.

 

O God, we are living in the midst of a sinful world; help us to avoid its snares, and to live a heavenly life here on earth. Oh, that we may know more of Thee, and love Thee with a more perfect love. Quicken us in Thy way, and enable us to run with increased earnestness the race that is set before us. Our time is short: grant, Lord, that we may spend it as those who feel that they must one day give an account.

 

O Thou great Shepherd of the sheep, bless all those who have been called this day into Thy fold. Draw them by Thy love yet closer to Thyself. Make them to hear Thy voice, and to follow Thee. Bless the lambs of Thy flock (and especially the beloved ones of this family); feed them with the nourishment of Thine own Word, and take them under Thy sheltering care.

 

Pardon those who have been willfully absent from Thy worship this day. Show them their exceeding sinfulness, and change their hearts by the power of Thy grace.

 

Visit with compassion those who are sick and afflicted. Draw near to them in their hour of trial; give them the comfort of Thy presence; and pour largely of Thy Holy Spirit upon them.

 

Blessed Lord, we confess with shame that we have brought too much of the week with us into Thy Sabbath; grant that we may carry much of the Sabbath into the coming week. And give us grace that we may so spend each day, as we shall wish to have spent it when our term of life is ended.

 

And now, O gracious God, we commend ourselves, and all who are near and dear to us, to Thy special care and protection for the coming night Watch over us, we beseech Thee, during the hours of darkness; give Thine angels charge concerning us; and guard us from every evil, for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The blessing of God Almighty, the Father; the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us, and remain with us always Amen.

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Family Prayers, Ashton Oxenden & C.H. Ramsden

Edited & Reprinted by Chuck Long.  Website: www.Godsgwg.com. Email: Godsgwg@juno.com