We meekly knock at mercy's gate

(Henry Law, "Family Prayers")

"All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind!" Isaiah 64:6

Holy Father, Almighty God,
We feel our weakness, our ignorance, our deep corruptions. We meekly knock at mercy's gate. Regard us in tender love—for Jesus' sake. Bend down Your ear—and grant Your smile.

We are blind—be our light.

We are ignorant—be our wisdom.

We are steeped in selfishness—pluck all SELF out of us.

In the deep sense of our guilt—we fly for refuge into the wounded side of Jesus! Be merciful, be merciful unto us—whose only hope is in Your unfailing mercy.

Our sins rise higher than the heavens—but Your merits in our behalf surpass the very heaven of heavens!

Our unrighteousness would weigh us down to hell—but Your glorious righteousness exalts us to Your heavenly throne!

All things in us call for our damnation—but all things in You demand our forgiveness.

We appeal, then, from Your throne of perfect justice—to Your throne of boundless grace!

Blessed Jesus, we hide ourselves in the sure covert of Your wrath-appeasing wounds!

Grant us to hear Your voice assuring us: that by Your stripes we are healed; that You have been bruised for our iniquities; that You have been made sin for us—that we might have Your divine righteousness; and that all our vile and grievous iniquities, are forgiven and buried in the ocean of Your sin-concealing blood!

We are guilty—yet pardoned!

We are lost in ourselves—yet fully saved in You!

Enable us to cling firmly to Your cross—even as we now seek safety and repose beneath its sin-atoning shelter!

Let floods of sustaining grace from Your inexhaustible treasury, enrich our poor and weary souls.

If the enemy approaches, quicken our steps to flee into the wounds of Jesus as our sure refuge! Sheltered in the ark of safety, may we cease to tremble at all alarms. May the good Shepherd lead us this day into the green pastures of His refreshing Word, and cause us to lie down beside the rivers of His divine comforts.

These prayers we humbly offer in the name of Jesus Christ, and trusting only in His saving merits. Amen.