"O Lord, in the morning I will direct my prayer to You."
"Search me, O God, and know my heart."—Psalm 139:23
O eternal, everlasting God, who have once more enlightened
my eyes, and allowed me not to sleep the sleep of death, bestow upon me this
day the riches of Your grace and love. Morning after morning is dawning upon
me, with new tokens of Your mercy. Oh, may these be bringing me nearer the
glorious day which is to know no night—that eternal noon-tide when all shadows
and darkness are forever to flee away!
Lord, I am unworthy to come into Your presence, and yet I
have to mourn that I do not feel this deep unworthiness as I ought. I am
unwilling to see into the unknown depths of my sin. I do not know myself. I
have no depressing consciousness of the desperate wickedness of my own evil
heart. I have buried many past transgressions in oblivion. I have deluded
myself with the thought, that many were too trivial and unimportant to incur
Your disapproval. Even any imperfect good which Your grace has enabled me to
perform, I have been too prone to take the merit to myself, instead of
ascribing all the praise to You. There has been pride in my humility. There
have been mingled motives in my best services. My best resolutions have been
fitful and transient. My purest and most unselfish actions could not stand the
scrutiny of Your eye. The holiest day I ever spent, were I to be judged by it,
would condemn me.
O You who "searches Jerusalem with lighted candles,"
"search my heart." Bring me to the publican's place of penitential sorrow,
exclaiming, in self-renouncing humility, "God be merciful to me a sinner!"
I would seek to make a more entire and undivided surrender
of all I am and have to You. Give me such a dreadful and affecting sense of my
vileness, that I may never feel safe but when close to the atoning Fountain,
drawing out of it hourly supplies. May mine be a daily heart and self and sin
crucifixion—an eternal severance from those bosom traitors which have so long
separated between me and my God. Make me more zealous for Your honor and
glory—"Cleanse the thoughts of my heart, by the inspiration of Your Holy
Spirit"—"Let no iniquity obtain dominion over me." But may it be my daily
ambition to become more like You, reflecting more of the image, and imbibing
more of the spirit, of my Divine Redeemer, that thus the atmosphere of
holiness and of heaven may be diffused all around me. May my own soul be
pervaded with lofty and purified aspirations. May I be enabled to exhibit to
the world the felt happiness of close walking with God.
And gracious Father, "send forth Your light and Your truth"
to a darkened world. May Your own ancient people be speedily gathered in with
the fullness of the Gentile nations, that all ends of the earth may see the
salvation of God.
Bless all my dear friends, near or distant. May they have
the heritage of those who fear Your name. Defend them now by Your mighty
power, and at last number them with Your saints in glory everlasting. Amen.
"Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for
in You do I trust."