Prayer - O Jesus, Our Savior and Redeemer

O Jesus, our Savior and Redeemer, hear our prayer. Lamb of God, who by Your bitter anguish redeemed us from eternal Hell, have mercy on us, and bless us. We adore You, we praise Your name, we worship You, Son of God, who sits and reigns with Your Father in the heavenly glory. What shall we render to You for Your great love, and Your infinite sacrifice on our behalf? Your mercy is boundless, Your grace is beyond comprehension. We lift our eyes to Your cross this morning, for it was there You paid the price of our redemption.

May there come from Your cross into each of our hearts, as we bow here -- a beam of Your love, which shall shine into the depths of our souls, and kindle an answering love which shall consume our whole being in devotion. We desire to go all this day under the influence of Your cross. Help us to remember all the time that we are Yours, purchased by You, even at the cost of Your precious blood!

Let us do nothing that will be unworthy of Your ownership in us.

Keep our hearts pure, that we may see You with uninterrupted vision.

Keep our lips clean, that we may speak Your name with reverence and worthy honor.

Keep our hands unstained, that their touch may leave only blessings.

Keep our lives unspotted, that wherever we go the light of Your holiness may shine in us.

We ask You, blessed Redeemer, to keep near us all the day, and to keep us near to You. There is no safe place in this world but close to Your side. Hide us in the cleft of the Rock of Ages. Wash away all our sins in Your all-cleansing blood. Fill our hearts Your Holy Spirit. We ask all these favors and blessings, in Your precious name, Savior divine. Amen.

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TUESDAY EVENING

Jesus Christ, strong Son of God, bless us tonight. Forgive us our sins. We love You -- You know that we love You -- but our lives are not worthy expressions of our love. We confess that we seem not to love You at all, we are so unfaithful. We thank You that Your love is not dependent upon ours. You love us in spite of all our sins and all our failures. Your love is like the waters of the sea, which fill all the depths and flow in immeasurable floods from shore to shore. Your love covers all our sins, and fills and overflows all the depths of our evil nature. You love Your redeemed people unto the end, unto the uttermost. You love us with an everlasting love. You loved us so much that You gave Yourself for us, to redeem us and to purify and to save us.

This evening we would hide away in Your love. It is a better place to hide, than even the shelter of a mother's love. We are weary -- and we find rest in You. We are weak -- and being close to You makes us stronger, for strength passes from You to us. We are unholy -- and Your pure love cleanses and purifies us. We are harsh and ungentle -- and Your love . . .

warms our hearts into gentleness,

softens our harshness, and

blesses us with a spirit of tenderness.

Draw us near Yourself precious Savior -- near Your own heart. It was there that John learned his lesson in loving which made him such a beautiful disciple -- and we would nestle in the same transforming bosom, that we, too, may learn the same lesson of love. May we become transfigured, by being with You.

Now, blessed Jesus, we are going to our rest for the night. We shall not be afraid, for You will keep us. Let no evil come to us. Give us refreshing sleep. All we ask is in Your name, O Lamb of God. Amen.