Sunday Morning Prayer by Dr. Joseph Parker – July 31, 2016

31 Jul Sunday Morning Prayer by Dr. Joseph Parker – July 31, 2016

From Dr. Parker’s Sermon on Song of Solomon 5-8

“Almighty God, thine eyes are continually upon our conduct; thou dost watch us, whether our vigilance towards thee be wakeful or not. We have reason to say day by day, Thou God seest us. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself mighty on behalf of those who put their trust in him. All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do; there is not a word on our tongue, there is not a thought in our heart, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. May we live under this impression, and may it be to us an impression full of graciousness and hopefulness, because of the purity of our desire and the constancy of our fidelity; may we be enabled to make our appeal unto God, saying, The Lord knoweth, and into his hand I commit my spirit. We bless thee that thine eyes are upon us, for thus thou dost make us of account; though our days are few, and our strength is but varied weakness, yet thou dost care for us with the solicitude of love, and watch us as if we were needful to thine happiness. May we always remember that thou hast shown thy greatest love to us in the gift of thy dear Son. Thou didst not spare him, but didst freely deliver him up for us all; and in that great gift all other gifts are included. If thou didst not spare thy Son, thou wilt not hold back anything that is needful for us. We live in this confidence. Much we desire that we do not possess; yet we have learned to know that our not possessing it is an advantage, and that poverty is better than wealth. Enable us to take this view of life; then shall we be quieted, calmed, yea, enriched with the peace of God which passeth understanding, and no man shall be able to take away from us the treasure of this tranquillity. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. Once we were full of impatience and restlessness and discontent, but we have learned in whatsoever state we are therewith to be content. In whose school have we learned this lesson but in the school of Jesus Christ thy Son, our blessed and infinite Saviour? Our sins are very many, but where sin abounds grace doth much more abound: help us to turn the eyes of our despair from our own sin, and to look upon the grace that is in Christ Jesus; then shall despair become hope, and hope shall grow into assurance and triumph. Dry our tears when we are hard pressed by difficulty and storm, and heavy-laden with grief, and give us sleep at the end of the day, that in its dreamlessness we may forget our woe and take back our strength, and begin the next day’s battle with all the hopefulness of renewed energy. Direct all our way; suffer none of our steps to slide; watch thou our lips and keep the door of our mouth; and at the end, when all the years have come and gone and the last knell is heard, may we have a sweet confidence, which no temptation can trouble, that when the Lord cometh it will be to call us to his home, his rest, his benediction. Amen.”

 – People’s Bible, The – The People’s Bible – Ecclesiastes – Isaiah 26: Volume 14.