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Tuesday

Lord, Thou alone canst direct my course over life's troubled sea.

Arise,

O Lord, bid the storm within my heart be still, and make it calm, that I may look up to Thee and in Thee find rest and peace. Stay my wandering thoughts, and fix my mind on Thee alone. Let Thy Holy Spirit ever dwell within me, and make me Thy temple. O Thou, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, fill me with Thy fullness; so shall I have comfort and strength, joy and peace forevermore. ARNDT.

Amen.

Wednesday

O God, Thou art life and wisdom and blessedness; Thou alone art God, faithful and eternal. In Thee I have a never-failing source of joy. Teach me more and more to know Thee, that Thou mayest be more fully mine and that my joy in Thee may be full. And though my faith be unable in this present life so to receive Thee, grant that it may increase day by day until it be perfected in the life everlasting. My joy, while here, is the joy of hope; there it shall be the joy of perfect realization.

Thursday

Amen.

ANSELM.

Almighty God, Thou carest for me as if Thou didst take thought of me alone, and Thou carest for all as if all were one. I see things of earth pass away, and I see other things come in their stead, but Thou abidest forever. Therefore, my God and Father, to Thee will I commend all that I have received from Thee. For so I can suffer no loss. Thou, O Lord, hast made me for Thyself, and my heart can find no rest till it rest in Thee. Amen.

Friday

AUGUSTINE.

Grant me, I beseech Thee, Almighty and most Merciful God, fervently to desire, wisely to search out, and perfectly to fulfil, all that is well-pleasing unto Thee. Order Thou my worldly condition to the glory of Thy name; and grant me the knowledge, desire, and ability to do that which Thou requirest of me, that so I may walk with Thee unto the perfect end.

Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart which no unworthy affection may debase; give me an enduring heart which no tribulation can wear out; give me an upright heart which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside.

Bestow upon me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know Thee, diligence to seek Thee, wisdom to find Thee, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace Thee. Amen.

AQUINAS.

Saturday

I know, O Lord, and do with all humility acknowledge myself an object altogether unworthy of Thy love; but sure I am, Thou art an object altogether worthy of mine. Thou hast a right to my best service, yet in me there is no goodness to serve Thee. Do Thou, then, impart to me of that excellence which shall supply my want. Help me, according to Thy will, to cease from sin, that I may be capable of doing Thee service according to my duty. Enable me so to guard and govern myself, so to begin and finish my course, that when the race of life is run I may sleep in peace, and rest in Thee. Be with me unto the end, that my sleep may be rest indeed, my rest perfect security, and that security a blessed eternity. Amen. AUGUSTINE.

Prayer before the Reading of the Word of God

Lord Jesus Christ, Thou hast commanded us to search the Scriptures and hast promised us that in them we shall find faith and eternal life. Thou alone art worthy to take the book and loose the seven seals thereof. Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law. Teach me the way of Thy statutes, and I shall keep it unto the end. Send me Thy Spirit from Thy holy heaven; and from the throne of Thy glory send Him to be with me and work with me, in order that I may realize what is well-pleasing unto Thee, that I may accomplish my work in Thy Name and to Thy glory, and that my heart may be filled with true faith, love, hope, humility, patience, meekness, piety, the fear of God, and blessedness in Him. Amen.

Loehe.

Morning Prayer before Communion

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank Thee for the love in which Thou gavest Thyself a sacrifice for us, and we thank Thee for the love in which Thou givest us Thyself in Thy Holy Supper. We pray Thee this day to stand at the door of our heart and knock, that we may hear Thy voice and open wide the door. Enter, Lord Jesus, into our heart, and make us worthy guests as we approach Thy table to commune with Thee. So shalt Thou also permit us to sup with Thee in Thy heavenly kingdom. Grant us this, in order that the gracious work which Thou hast already done for us may not have been done in vain. Amen. SCHARTAU.

Prayer Just before Communion

O loving Lord and Saviour, look upon me in mercy as Thou once didst look upon Peter when he had denied Thee, and upon the sinful woman in the house of the Pharisee, and upon the thief upon the cross. Give me grace to weep as did Peter bitterly over my sins, and as the sinful woman to love Thee with all my heart, and as the thief to be with Thee in Paradise. Amen.

Evening Prayer after Holy Communion

Dear God and Father, it is altogether true that I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof, but upon Thy own command and invitation have I sought Thee at Thy holy table. I fully and firmly believe that Thou of Thy mercy hast given me forgiveness of sins. I pray Thee to preserve me in the faith and in an unbroken communion with Thee. I doubt not Thy word of power. Thou hast fulfilled it in me, a poor, wretched sinner, to Thy glory. Amen.

Prayer for Those in Anxiety for Their Souls

LUTHER.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. With shame and sorrow I confess unto Thee that I have sinned against Thee and have done wickedly. My sin is great, and it is against Thee, O God, my Benefactor and my Saviour, that I have sinned. Thou hast showered upon me nothing but blessings, and Thou hast often forgiven me my sins.

And yet I have neglected to heed Thy word and warning. I have suffered the lust of my flesh and the temptations of the evil one to overpower me and to defile me. O my sin, O my folly! If Thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquity, I could not stand before Thee. Have mercy upon me. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions. Impute no sin to me, but grant me to rejoice in Thy merciful pardon. For Jesus' sake look graciously upon me and cast me not away from Thy presence. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within Then will I strive more earnestly to please Thee and will walk more carefully to avoid the snares of sin. Help me and be merciful unto me a sinner. Amen.

me.

Prayer in Temptation

O Thou who knowest our hearts, and who seest our temptations and struggles, have pity upon us, and deliver us from the sins which war against our souls. Thou art all-powerful, we are weak and erring. Our trust is in Thee, O Thou good and faithful God. Guard us in peril, direct us in doubt, and save us from falling into sin. From the evil that is around and within us, graciously deliver us. Make the path of duty plain before us, and keep us therein unto the end. Amen.

Prayer for Mutual Forgiveness

To Thee, O Lord, I offer up my prayer for those who have in any wise caused me offense or grief, or have unjustly found fault with me, or have injured me. I pray also for those whom I at any time by word or deed, knowingly or unknowingly, have vexed or troubled or burdened or caused to stumble. Forgive us all our sins and our lack of charity one toward another. Have mercy, O Lord, and make us so minded one toward another that we may be enabled to receive forgiveness and at last eternal life. Amen.

THOMAS A KEMPIS.

Prayer for a Dying Person

Almighty God, the Father of Jesus Christ, and our Father, Thou showest mercy at all times and in all places. Look with tender pity upon our poor, helpless brother whom Thou art now calling from this life. Grant him grace to remain firm and assured in his faith in Thee, that he may die as a true believer. Let him hear the words of Thy Son, our Saviour, "To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." Remember not his sins, but be mindful of the agony and bitter death which Thy Sơn hath suffered for him. Have compassion upon him and grant him a peaceful departure from this life. Give him a portion in the resurrection of the just, and let him dwell with Thee forever. Amen. OLAVUS PETRI.

Prayers on a Birthday

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast so graciously led and preserved me unto this day. Thou hast brought me to see the light of day and hast delivered me from the guilt of my first birth by giving me a second birth in holy Baptism. Thou art a faithful God, for Thou hast fulfilled all Thy precious promises to me. Forgive me, dear Lord, all my transgressions, pardon me, and grant me strength and wisdom to lead a life that is acceptable to Thee. As I advance in life, grant that I may ever grow in grace and in the knowledge of Thy will and in favor with Thee and with my fellow men. Grant that my years may not be spent in idleness or sin, but in labors useful to Thy Church and all men. And when my last hour is at hand, grant that it may be my birthday in heaven, so that the day of my death may be even better than the day of my birth. Into Thy hands I commend myself and my whole life. Forsake me never, dear Lord. Amen.

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Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee; Thou only knowest what I need; Thou lovest me better than I know how to love myself. O Father! give to Thy child that which he himself knows not how to ask. I dare not ask either for crosses or consolations; I simply present myself before Thee, I open my heart to Thee. Behold my needs which I know not myself; see and do according to Thy tender mercy. Smite, or heal; depress me, or raise me up; I adore all Thy purposes without knowing them; I am silent; I offer myself in sacrifice; I yield myself to Thee; I would have no other desire than to accomplish Thy will. Teach me to pray. Pray Thyself in me.

Prayer on a Wedding Anniversary

Amen.
FENELON.

Lord, to Thee do we with confidence entrust our home and those whom Thou hast given us. We thank Thee for the comfort and love which Thou hast permitted us to enjoy. But earthly happiness is frail. We cannot care for ourselves, nor be a stay for others. Protect our loved ones. Thy will be done, O Lord. Thou alone knowest what is for our good. Do with us as seemeth best to Thee. Thou alone art our safety. Lead us all upon the plain path to the eternal goal.

For the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

for the Sunday School

I. Order for Opening

After singing an appropriate Hymn, the School standing, the Superintendent shall say: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The Confession of Sins

Then the Superintendent and the School shall say:

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: According to the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions; And my sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, And done that which is evil in Thy sight. Hide Thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. (Ps. 51.)

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