Hey Church!
In preparation for worship this weekend, I want to encourage you to carve out a little time for prayer on Saturday night. I’ve quoted a prayer from A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie* below. Work through it thoughtfully and give thanks to the Lord for His abundant love and provision before lying down to sleep.
O EVERLASTING God, let the light of your eternity fall now upon my passing days. O holy God, let the light of your perfect righteousness fall upon my sinful ways. O most compassionate God, let the light of your love pierce to the most secret corners of my heart and overcome the darkness of sin within me.
Am I living as my conscience approves?
Am I demanding of others a higher standard of behavior than I demand of myself?
Am I less charitable about the failings of my neighbors than I am about my own?
Am I standing in public for principles which I do not practice in private?
Let my answer before you be truthful, O God.
Do I ever allow physical satisfaction to take precedence over spiritual interests?
Which is my priority when my course is not clear?
Do I ever allow my own interests to take precedence over the interests of the community?
Which is my priority when my course is not clear?
Let my answer before you be truthful, O God.
Am I, in my daily life, facing the stress of circumstances with strength and courage?
Am I grateful for my many blessings?
Am I allowing my happiness to be too dependent on money? Or career success? Or on the good opinion of others?
Is the sympathy I show to others who are in trouble equal to the pity I would expend on myself if the same things happened to me?
Let my answer before you be truthful, O God.
Create in me a pure heart, O God; and put a new and right spirit within me. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.
* Baillie, John. A Diary of Private Prayer. New York, NY: Scribner, 1977.
Your brother,
Ryan