Father
knows best!
(J. R. MacDuff, "A
BOOK OF PRIVATE PRAYERS" 1890)
My Father in heaven,
I approach the footstool of Your throne of grace, through the merits
and mediation of Him whom You always hear. My best motives are
mingled with selfishness; my best actions are marred with
defilement. I feel the weakness of my faith, the coldness of my
love, and the fitfulness of my holy desires. I cast
myself anew on Him who has done all and
suffered all and procured all for me!
I have continual need of Your grace, and of the influence of Your Holy
Spirit. Protect and preserve me by Your mighty power. If at times I am
prone to spiritual declension, reclaim my truant heart from its
wanderings. Give me increasing tenderness of conscience, scrupulously
avoiding anything that would compromise godly principle, or dim the
sanctities of pure thought and holy deed. Enable me to cultivate those elevating
virtues which make life truly beautiful. By simplicity of trust,
consistency of obedience, and consecration of heart and life -- may I
ever seek to glorify Your holy name.
Hear and accept my penitential acknowledgment of sin and unworthiness,
of weakness and infirmity, of defeat and failure.
Grant me Your upholding, strengthening, sanctifying grace for this day.
Let me exercise a habitual jealousy over my words and actions. Purify
my motives, elevate my affections. Keep me from dishonoring Your
Fatherly goodness, by doing what is inconsistent with Your will. Be
. . .
my Protector in danger,
my Counselor in perplexity,
my Light in darkness,
my Comforter in sorrow,
my Guide even unto death.
Bless Your children in affliction. May it be their joy and
privilege to pour their sorrows into a Father's ear. Comfort
them as a tender mother comforts her distressed child -- and then they
shall be truly comforted. Be the rest-giver and the rest-provider for
Your weary and heavy-laden children.
Have mercy on the wide family of Your afflicted ones. May they take
refuge in the very arms that are chastising them, feeling assured that
their heavenly
Father knows best, that they have
need
of all these things. May it be theirs to look beyond what is frail
and fleeting and transitory -- and anticipate the time
when every
tear-dimmed eye shall wake up amid the brightness and glory
of an unsinning, unsorrowing, tearless world!
~ ~ ~ ~
Many of have written saying how profitable MacDuff's prayers have been. As an aid to your personal devotions, we have published three choice MacDuff books of prayers: