Third Day: Evening - A Diary of Private Prayer: A Devotional Classic by John Baillie

Third Day - Evening


  O Thou most wise, most great, most holy, in wisdom and power and tender mercy Thou dist create me in Thine own image.  Thou hast given me this life to live, Thou hast appointed my lot and determined the bounds of my habitation, Thou hast surrounded me with gracious and beneficent influences, Thou hast written Thy law within my heart.


  And in my heart's most secret chamber Thou art now waiting to meet and speak with me, freely offering me Thy fellowship in spite of all my sinning.  Let me now avail myself of this open road to peace of mind.  Let me approach thy presence humbly and reverently.  Let me carry with me the spirit of my Lord and Master Jesus Christ.  Let me leave behind me all fretfulness, all unworthy desires, all thoughts of malice towards my fellow men, all hesitancy in surrendering my will to Thine.


  In Thy will, O Lord, is my peace.
  In Thy love is my rest.
  In Thy service is my joy.
  Thou art all my heart's desire.
  Whom have I in heaven but Thee?
  And there is none upon earth that I desire besides Thee.


  In Thy presence, O God, I think not only of myself, but of others, my fellow men:
  Of my friends, especially of (...) and (...):
  Of those who to-day have worked or played with me:
  Of those who are in sorrow:
  Of those who are bearing the burdens of others:
  Of those who are manning difficult stations or lonely outposts of Thy Kingdom:


  O Thou who art the one God and Father of us all, be near to us all to-night and graciously keep watch over our souls.  Hear my prayer for Jesus Christ's sake.  Amen.

First Day, Evening - A Diary of Private Prayer: A Devotional Classic by John Baillie

  O Thou who art from everlasting to everlasting, I would turn my thoughts to Thee as the hours of  darkness and of sleep begin. O Sun of my soul, I rejoice to know that all night I shall be under the unsleeping eye of One who dwells in eternal light.


  To thy care, O Father, I would now commend my body and my soul.  All day Thou hast watched over me and Thy companionship has filled my heart with peace.  Let me go through any part of this night unaccompanied by Thee.
  Give me sound and refreshing sleep:
  Give me safety from all perils:
  Give me in my sleep freedom from restless dreams:
  Give me control of my thoughts, if I should like awake:
  Give me wisdom to remember that the night was made for sleeping, and not for the harbouring of anxious or fretful or shameful thoughts.
  Give me grace, if as I lie abed I think at all, to think upon Thee.


  My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.


  To Thy care also, O Father, I would commend my friends, beseeching Thee to keep them safe in soul and body, and to be present in their hearts to-night as a Spirit of power and of joy and of restfulness.  I pray for  (my spouse) and (my children) and (my parents/in-laws) and (siblings)... I pray also for the wider circle of all my associates, my fellow workers, my fellow townsmen and all strangers within our gates; and the great world of men without, to me foreign and unknown, but dear to Thee; through Jesus Christ our common Lord. Amen