Consulting Par Excellence

Our Father in Heaven, we, Your earthly children, worship You. We thank You for Your word, which we can read at the opening of the day, taking it for a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. May it be to us indeed a light this day, shining for us and showing us the way of holiness. We always need a divine lamp, for earth is dark. Sin has made it perilous to travel on these treacherous ways without a lamp. No human friend can guide us infallibly. We cannot guide ourselves. We would never find the way home, were it not for the light of truth which You have given, which makes every smallest part of the path through this world clear and plain if we will walk in the light.

Let us not try to walk in the light of our own understanding, and stumble and fall. We put our hands in Yours this morning, and we would be led by You all the day. We do not know where our paths will take us. It may be that darkness lies before us — or hard and rough ways, that we must enter some Gethsemane. Lead us, O Jesus, where You will — and give us grace to follow submissively.

We seek Your blessing upon all the work of this day. Show us what You will have us to do. May we find the tasks You have in Your plan and purpose for us, and then do them faithfully. Let us never resist Your gracious leading. Enable us always to do Your will, as it is done in Heaven. Bless us . . .
in our home life,
in our friendships,
in our social life,
in our play and our work,
in our praying and our serving,
in our toil and our struggle,
in our joy and in our sorrow.

We ask all in the name of Jesus our Savior. Amen.

O Lord, open our lips — and our mouth shall show forth Your praise. We praise You for all You are in Yourself — the glory of Your being, the excellency of Your power and goodness, Your faithfulness and loving kindness. We praise You, that all You are and have is ours, that You are our own God, that we can say, "The Lord is my Shepherd," "God is our refuge and strength." You have given Yourself to us. You are our Father — and we are Your children. All the blessings our Father's house are ours.

Graciously pardon all our iniquities, and help us to make sincere confession, assured that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive us. Save us, O God, from trying to hide or cover our sins from You, and help us to confess them.

Let a blessing rest upon us today in all the affairs of our life. Give us this day our daily bread. We ask not for luxuries, lest we forget our dependence upon You. Preserve us from poverty and want — lest we be tempted to sin. Give us only our daily bread, and give us contentment therewith. Let us not murmur nor complain. Give us trust and peace.

We beseech You to use us in whatever ways we can best serve You. We consecrate our lives to You. Let us not live for ourselves — but may we so employ all our talents and possessions that our lives shall be blessings to others.

Deal gently, Lord, with the sick and the dying. Show Your favor to the needy and the outcast. Be the friend of the friendless. Guide the young, and lead all men to trust in You. Cover us now with the shadow of Your wings. We ask in Jesus' precious name. Amen.