Our Heavenly Father, however poor and mean and commonplace our lives may seem to be, in our better moments we think of ourselves as Thy children.
We may have failed sometimes but we shall not utterly fail. In Thy sight, nothing is common or worthless. No life shall be cast as rubbish to the void. However commonplace our tasks may seem, let us feel ourselves in partnership with G.o.d, and go forth to the duties of the day with high hope and sense of dignity. So shalt Thou make even our little lives of some real service to the world. We pray to Thee in the spirit of Him, who though the humblest of all, was yet Master of all. Amen.
GEORGE L. PERIN.
June 19
_There"s a real grace of character in forgetting the things which disturb the harmony of life._
HAMILTON W. MABIE.
Touch your lips with gladness and go singing on your way, Smiles will strangely lighten every duty; Just a little word of cheer may span a sky of gray With hope"s own heaven-tinted bow of beauty.
Wear a pleasant face wherein shall shine a joyful heart, As shines the sun, the happy fields adorning; To every care-beclouded life some ray of light impart, And touch your lips with gladness every morning.
NIXON WATERMAN.
O Thou who art from everlasting to everlasting, Our G.o.d and Father, we flee unto Thee as the One who is able to save us from all foes within and without. We confess our weakness and our many grievous faults, and beseech Thee to touch us by Thy Spirit, that with penitent and lowly hearts we may seek Thee as our everlasting Friend and Helper. Be patient yet a while with our shortcomings and frowardness. Suffer us yet a little that Thine infinite grace and compa.s.sion may arouse us from our spiritual slumber unto the glorious life of obedience and love. In this new day we would be made to feel Thy presence and the light and joy and peace, which Thou dost promise to all who diligently seek Thee through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
CLARENCE E. RICE.
June 20
_Now is the high tide of the year, And whatever of life hath ebbed away Comes flooding back with a ripply cheer, Into every bare inlet and creek and bay; Now the heart is so full that a drop overfills it, We are happy now because G.o.d wills it._
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL.
Holy, holy, holy, Lord G.o.d Almighty! early in the morning we approach unto Thee. The whole round of creation is burdened with the exuberance of Thy life, and everywhere is hallowed ground. We come with unshod feet. The sun, mighty minister of Thy great goodness, flooding the world with light and piercing all things with his fiery arrows, calls back to life the sleeping earth, and a.s.sures us that we are partakers of Thy light and Thy love and Thy life. O most glorious G.o.d! may these Thy mercies, fresh every morning, be with us through the day to strengthen us to do Thy will, we ask in the name of Him who came that we may have life and have it abundantly. Amen.
FRANK W. COLLIER.
June 21
_Man hath much need of courage; and need to brace His spiritual nerve in solitude; Self-trusting, self-sustained, and self-imbued; Seeking G.o.d in his own heart"s secret place.
To perfect self, and in that self embrace The triune essence of truth, beauty, and good; This is fulfilment, this beat.i.tude Throned high above base fears and hopes more base.
What shall it profit us, if, gaining all The privilege of priest-made paradise, We lose therewith our self which is the soul?
And wherefore should we shrink from even the fall, If haply we should fail with steadfast eyes Fixed only on so bright, so pure a goal?_
JOHN ADDINGTON SYMONDS.
Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the gift of a new day, for the tasks which it brings, and for the strength with which we rise to its requirements. Help us, through all this day, to remember Thee. Thou art our strength, our guide, our inspiration. Fill us with the courage born of faith. Let us feel that, seeking to do right, we shall be moved and aided by an unseen Power. In all our experiences this day, help us to speak the truth, to be loyal to friendship, to be steadfast in principle, to fight the good fight and to keep the faith. Bless our endeavors to give heart and hope to other souls; and grant them the presence of Thy loving spirit. Amen.
JOHN CLARENCE LEE.
June 22
_Let a man start out at breakneck speed in the morning, pushing and driving and hurrying as if it were a matter of life and death to accomplish a given task before noon, and he will generally end by working himself into a fever of anxiety and hara.s.sing care before night, and the man who, under any pretext whatsoever, whether for the sake of wealth or learning or pleasure, has pursued this mad, rushing, whirling method of life for fifteen or twenty years, will find himself thoroughly disqualified for the normal enjoyment of life thenceforward to the end of his days._
GEORGE L. PERIN.
Most gracious G.o.d! Thou who hast sustained us through the night watches, and who now openest to us the day, with its promise of good and opportunity for service, we still depend upon that heavenly faithfulness which never fails. We look to Thee for the quickening of our best powers. We would be laborers together with Thee to-day, not as driven to irksome tasks, but as honored with a welcome privilege. Whether we plant or water may we do it faithfully, and then trust Thee for the desired increase. May it please Thee to quiet our anxieties, to lay to rest our unworthy fears, and to a.s.sure us of Thine over-ruling providence; and thus through all our toiling may we enjoy large measures of the peace that pa.s.seth understanding. Amen.
JAMES EDWARD WRIGHT.
June 23
_I do not say you can make yourself merry and happy when you are in a physical condition which is contrary to such mental condition, but by practice and effort you can learn to withdraw from it, refusing to allow your judgments and actions to be ruled by it.
"What does that matter?" you will learn to say. "It is enough for me to know that the sun does shine, and that this is only a weary fog that is round about me for a moment. I shall come out into the light beyond presently." This is faith,--faith in G.o.d, who is Light._
GEORGE MACDONALD.
Our Father, residing in the light incomprehensible and who art seeing and providing all good for Thine immortal household, when mid investing clouds we shall hail Thy presence, transforming weakness into perfect strength and sighs and groans into joy and swelling songs, above all the many rightful subjects of Christian pet.i.tion, we pray that Thou wilt always press us near to Thee to feel Thy loving heart-beats and dwell in the light in which is no darkness at all. We pray not to be spared any of our full part of the burdens needful to this day, but to be given the measure of grace to maintain unfaltering steps. Behold with compa.s.sion the errors that befall us as we, too, compa.s.sionate others. Amen.
JACOB STRAUB.
June 24
_We are all perhaps familiar with the story of the little housemaid, who, when she was asked why she thought she had become a Christian, replied, after a little hesitation, "Because I sweep under the mats." A very poor reason at first sight, and only significant from the fact of the master-motive underlying the fact itself. A child"s reasoning--but did not quaint old Herbert employ the same fine logic when he sang:_
_"Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws.
Makes that and the action fine!"_
WILLIAM MOODIE.
Dear Lord of Life and Light, at the dawn of another day we rise to thank Thee for Thy watchful care, imparting strength and vitality during the closed hours of the night. Thy gift of eternal life is ours by Thy creatorship and love, and we would pray that in no way during this coming day shall we dishonor our birthright by evil thought or action.
Help us to aspire to hold fast and develop Thy holy characteristics, normal to us and made active by our wills. We thank Thee for the goal revealed to us as our destiny, the spirit displayed by our Master, Jesus Christ, and like Him may we lean on Thee daily for the strengthening of our faith and the maturing of our plans. Amen.
CHARLES E. LUND.
June 25
_They are tired of what is old, We will give it voices new; For the half hath not been told Of the beautiful and true._
GEORGE MACDONALD.
_The common problem, yours, mine, everyone"s, Is not to fancy what were fair in life Provided it could be--but finding first What may be, than find how to make it fair Up to our means, a very different thing._
ROBERT BROWNING.
Thou Infinite Heart! our hearts go out after Thee, not for past, not for future, not for what was, though dear, not for what may be, though in vision precious,--not these the burden of our prayer. Our hearts crave peace, comfort with what is. May we confide in Thee so utterly that the old pain is eased, the anxious foreboding is dispelled, self-will merged in divine will, self-direction yielding to divine leading. Lo! our prayer is answered in the making and we are helped. Amen.
STANFORD MITCh.e.l.l.