"not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the lord."—romans xii. 11.
lord, i come to thee this night rejoicing in the thought that thou faintest not, neither are weary: thou art ever good, and doing me good. thine arm is never shortened, thine ear is {82} never heavy. the gates of prayer are ever open. the throne of the heavenly grace is ever accessible, none of thy children need perish with hunger!
may the darkness now gathering around me be as the shadow of thine infinite presence. i take comfort in the thought that the shepherd of israel neither slumbers nor sleeps; that he is ever bending over me his watchful, untiring eye, compassing my path and my lying down, and holding up my doings that my footsteps do not stumble.
lord, how sad is the contrast of thine unwearied and unwearying watchfulness, with my negligence and inactivity in thy service. how little have i sought to promote thy glory. how little have i felt the solemnity and responsibility of being a steward in thy household! let me be more zealous for thy honor in the future. let me seek more than i have ever yet done, to ask in the midst of life's duties and engagements, its perplexities and trials, in simple faith, "lord! what wouldst thou have me to do?" let me feel that duty is a delight when done for thee. keep me from further relaxing {83} my diligence. let me not mock thee any longer with the wrecks of a worn affection. let there be no half-surrender of the heart and life to thee, but may soul and body be consecrated as living sacrifices, and may i have the growing experience that active obedience in thy service is self-rewarding.
lord! i have indeed a vast work to do and a brief time to do it in. may opportunities and talents, while i have them, be cheerfully given to thee. may the warning words oft sound in my ear, "work while it is called today, for the night cometh wherein no man can work." oh prepare me for my saviour's coming. forbid that i should be found among the slothful servants or the faithless stewards who are squandering their lord's money, and are living, forgetful that a time of reckoning is at hand! may i be so waiting and so watching, and so working, that the cry may never break too soon or too suddenly on my ears—"behold, the judge standeth before the door!"
send forth thy gracious spirit into a world lying in wickedness. scatter the darkness that is now brooding over the nations. bless all thy ministering servants; may they be valiant for the truth; may the lord send his own angel to stand by them, and to shut the mouths of every adversary.
bless all my friends; may they too be working out their own salvation with fear and trembling, and so be found at last prepared for the appearing and kingdom of jesus.
take me under thy protecting care this night; vouchsafe me a season of refreshing repose; spare me to awake in thy favor; and may every returning morning find me better prepared for the glorious noon-day of immortality; through jesus christ, my ever-living saviour. amen.
"let my prayer be set forth before thee as
incense: and the lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice."
