FAMILY PRAYERS

0 Thou King eternal, immortal, invisible, dwelling in the light which no one can approach and whom no eye hath seen, or can see.
You are incomprehensible, and the highest archangel can never find You out unto perfection.
Yet You have been pleased to reveal Yourself to people; and by means of Your Word, we behold You in every character and relation that can suit our necessities, or encourage our hope.
Your throne is in the heavens and Your kingdom rules over all; and all nations before You are as nothing; yet You humbled Yourself to regard the things that are done in the earth; and You despise not the prayer even of the destitute.
You are exalted above all blessing and praise: our goodness extended not to You —but unless Yours be extended to us, we are undone forever.
Without You we can do nothing; we are nothing. In You we live, and move, and have our being.
The way of people is not in themselves; it is not in people that walked to direct their steps.
We are poor and dependent; but as You are able, so You are willing, to take the charge of us; and here we are, the living to praise You; and to acknowledge that goodness and mercy have followed us all the days of our lives.
We bless You that You have regarded our souls, as well as our bodies; and no less provided for our future interests, than our present.
When there was no eye to pity us, You did remember us in our low estate; and when there was no arm to rescue, You were pleased to help us; and You have sent Your own Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
To Him may we turn our hearts, and find in Him the wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, which, as perishing sinners, we need.
In all our approaches to You, may we have boldness, and access, with confidence, by the faith of Him.
May we know that He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; and be able to rejoice in Him as our sacrifice, our sympathizing Friend, our almighty Helper, and our lovely Example.
May we drink into His Spirit.
May we transcribe the excellencies of His character into our own.
May we place our feet in the very prints of His steps; and follow Him till we shall be perfectly like Him, and see Him as He is.
We desire to acknowledge You in the dispensations of Your providence; and to own Your agency in all the events that befall us, whether pleasing or painful.
You have a right to govern us; and You know what will best advance our welfare.
May we commit our way unto the Lord, and be able to say at Your footstool, in unfeigned submission.
Here I am, let Him do what seems good to Him.
If darkness veils Your dealings with us, may we trust and not be afraid; believing that what we know not now, we shall know hereafter; and that the development of thy conduct will issue in perfect satisfaction and praise.
We bless You for the institutions of religion, in the use of which You have promised to draw near to those that draw near to You.
We rejoice in another of the days of the Son of man; may we call off our minds from the cares of the world, and attend upon the Lord without distraction.
Quicken and elevate our souls, that rising above the formality of devotion, we may come even to You seat, and enjoy a little of the blessedness of those that have entered Your temple above, and are singing the song of Moses and the Lamb.
We are about to assemble in the house of prayer- pour upon us the Spirit of grace and of supplication; and rank us in the number of those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.
We are going to the house of praise, awaken in us every grateful and cheerful emotion, and may we speak to ourselves in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing, and making melody in our hearts unto the Lord.
We are repairing to the house of instruction-enable us to receive the kingdom of God as a little child.
Teach us of Your ways. Lead us into all truth. And let us be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
For this purpose, let Your presence go with us; and let Your Word come to us; not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance.
Bless all the churches of the faithful; and the ministers of the everlasting gospel, of every name, and of every nation.
Clothe the priests with salvation; and let Your saints shout aloud -for joy.
May our country prosper in all her lawful interests, both domestic and foreign.
Bless the chief magistrate of our nation, and all that are in authority; may they rule in Your fear, and be guided by You counsel; and may the people lead quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and honesty.
Make us glad according to the days wherein You have afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
Let Your work appear unto Your servants, and Your glory unto their children, and let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; establish the work of our hand upon us, yea, the work of our hand, You establish it.
And we especially invoke Your blessing, O Lord, to attend this day all the instructions imparted in Sunday schools and Bible classes.
We pray that You will be graciously pleased to grant the influences of the Holy Spirit, that that instruction may be impressed deeply on the heart and may produce abundant fruit in the life.
Give grace, Almighty God, to those who are teachers in those schools; that they may be deeply impressed with their responsibility; that they may be themselves Your children; and that they may engage in their work with an earnest desire to benefit those entrusted to their charge.
May their minds be enlightened that they may understand Your holy Word.
May they see clearly the great plan of redeeming mercy.
May they be enabled to present Your truth simply, clearly, with affection, and with prayer. May the sacred Spirit-the Comforter be given them, to guide them into all truth.
And do be pleased to bless all children in those schools.
Preside over them and give to them Your Holy Spirit.
Grant to them tender, teachable minds.
May they learn the paths of wisdom, and delight in instruction.
May their hearts be given to the Saviour in their early years.
May they come to Him, who, when on earth, said, “Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven”.
Take, 0 blessed Saviour, those lambs of the flock into Your arms, and guide them by Your unerring counsel.
Defend them from the perils and temptations of life, and conduct thou them to the joys of Your everlasting kingdom.
May our own children be trained up in the knowledge of Your name; and whatever instruction in accordance with Your Word may be imparted to them in the family, the Sunday school, or the sanctuary, we pray that it may be attended with Your blessing, and be the means of fitting them for the duties of this life, and for the joys of Your eternal kingdom.
These mercies, and all we need, we humbly ask in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our most gracious Lord and Redeemer. Amen.