Evening Of Life By William Hayley
Since the Evening of Life will soon close,
While I live, may I justly incline
To diffuse peace of heart among those,
Whose lives may be guided by mine!
To Christ may I lead them to own
The charms of his tender controul,
And with gratitude gaze on His throne.
Whom to serve is the joy of the soul!
Fourth Day Of Creation Has Passed
“So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”–Genesis 1:19
We have come, again, to another of what I call “skip over verses”. When we read these, we tend to give them only the briefest notice because they seem to have no meaning or value. We often see this attitude whenever we read the Biblical genealogies; upon seeing the word “begat”, people tend to cringe. Yet all of these verses, no matter how insignificant they seem to us, are an important part of God’s Word. So, you might ask, what is the significance of this verse? This verse is important because it shows us both an ending and a beginning.
The obvious ending—and one of the reasons it’s value seems lessened—is it tells us the fourth day is completed. God completed three days of creation before this, so it is just following a pattern…right? Wrong. The end of this particular day means that God has finished preparing the world to support life. He has provided the food, light, guidance, and protection the living will need to survive. With all of these things set in place, it is the beginning of our world as God intended for it to be.
Every day God gives us is important, whether it is our first day of life, or our thirty-five thousand, two hundred and sixty-second day of life. (This is not a random number. It is the number of days my grandmother lived, and on that last day, she finally got to see her Savior face to face.) Each day is given to us by God, so no matter what it brings, we need to treasure it.
If you are lost, today is your fourth day. Everything has been prepared; even the price for your sins has been paid. All you need to do is confess your sins to God, ask for His forgiveness, and accept Jesus as your savior. Only then will you see the life that awaits you.
Gethsemane By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
In golden youth when seems the earth
A Summer-land of singing mirth,
When souls are glad and hearts are light,
And not a shadow lurks in sight,
We do not know it, but there lieu
Somewhere veiled under evening skies
A garden which we all must see –
The garden of Gethsemane.
With joyous steps we go our ways,
Love lends a halo to our days;
Light sorrows sail like clouds afar,
We laugh, and say how strong we are.
We hurry on; and hurrying, go
Close to the borderland of woe
That waits for you, and waits for me –
Forever waits Gethsemane.
Down shadowy lanes, across strange streams,
Bridged over by our broken dreams;
Behind the misty caps of years,
Beyond the great salt fount of tears,
The garden lies. Strive as you may,
You cannot miss it in your way;
All paths that have been, or shall be,
Pass somewhere through Gethsemane.
All those who journey, soon or late,
Must pass within the garden’s gate;
Must kneel alone in darkness there,
And battle with some fierce despair.
God pity those who cannot say,
“Not mine but Thine”; who only pray
“Let this cup pass,” and cannot see
The PURPOSE in Gethsemane.
Indifference Of God, Indifference Of Me
(Saturday Evening Prayer For March 10)
Heavenly Father. This past week, we have basked in the joy on the mountaintop and lain in despair in the deepest chasm. Our spirit has both soared to the heavens and plunged to the depths of the sea. We have praised Your name and bemoaned what we perceived as Your indifference toward us. We have told of Your good works in public places and lamented our misfortunes in private. You tend to the lilies of the field and the sparrows in the air; why does it feel You have neglected us? In our heart and our mind, we know You are always with us. The fault of these perceptions lie not in You, but in ourselves.
Lord, forgive us of our sins and our unbelief. Show us our lives through Your eyes that we might see that which holds us back. Have we treated You as nothing more than a dog? Have we tied you up outside so You won’t leave, but refused to open the door to let You in? It is not Your indifference we perceive, but our own. When did we take back the keys to our heart, push You out, and bar the door behind You? In truth, we know nothing of ours keeps You near our heart; it is Your love and Your grace. Lord, take these keys to our heart and make it Your home once again.
Enter into our heart and remove the things which blind us to all You do. Fill us with so much of the things of heaven that naught of earth can remain. Let tears of joy replace those of self-pity. Overcome the anger and the rage with love and hope and the desire to build others up. Tear down the idols we have set up within ourselves and replace them with kindness and long-suffering. Return us to our first love.
We could ask You to build a hedge around us so these things never trouble us again, but we won’t. Instead, O God, we pray to be filled with desire; desire to read and study Your Word even more than we do now. Instill within us a greater urgency to pray, not for ourselves, but for others. Let us, as a sponge, draw in all knowledge of You and what You have done so we know we do not stand alone. Change our perception so we might recognize even the smallest snare of the Adversary. It is these things, even more than a hedge, that will keep us in You.
Hear our prayer now as we lift up our brothers and sisters who might be facing these same struggles. Take away their indifference. Lift them up from the depths and set them on the mountaintop so they might see Your grace. Fill them with joy and remove their sorrow. Bless Your children and draw them back to You. We trust You to care for the sick and bring miraculous healing. Break the hearts of the lost so they might seek You. Give us the words, the voice, and more importantly, the life, to witness for You.
All these things we ask in Your son’s precious name. Amen.
Remove These Blinders
(Saturday Evening Prayer For February 24)
Heavenly Father. Remove these blinders from my eye so I might see the grace that surrounds me. Your word tell us it is sufficient for all our needs and it exists in abundance. Right now, Father, I feel as though I am in a dark room, unable to see what I know is around me. I know there is a light switch somewhere, but it is just out of my reach. Am I so weak in the spirit that I am unable trust Your word and Your promises? This past week I have asked for nothing more than grace, and despite knowing better, I feel as though my prayers have gone unheard. I ask, I beg, that You would remove these doubts from my mind.
Lord, I pray this evening, not only for myself, but for everyone who might be struggling as I am. Where two or three are gathered in Your name, we know our prayers will be answered. Grant us strength and encouragement in knowing we don’t pray alone. Return to us the peace in knowing You hear us. Forgive our weaknesses, our doubts, and our anger. Replace this hopelessness we carry inside with the pure hope that comes from You. As we lift each other up, remind us we are already in Your hands. Remind us You are near even when we can’t see You.
Help us, at times like this, bridle our tongues lest we say something to destroy our witness. If You have to silence our voice until we once again fully trust in You, for the sake of our witness, do so. We desperately seek Your face and the peace that comes from knowing we are safe in Your arms. Whatever there may be in our lives that blinds us to Your grace, help us to overcome it. It is in our weakness You say we will be made strong; strengthen us now lest we stumble and fall.
Bless Your children, even those of us who are struggling. Lead us, guide us, and keep us. Forgive us of our transgressions. We ask all these things in the precious name of our savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Storehouse Of Blessings Await
(Saturday Evening Prayer For February 10)
Heavenly Father. All we are, all we can ever hope to be, begins and ends with You. Before You laid the foundation of the world, we were already a part of Your plans. A storehouse of blessings had been prepared for us before we ever drew our first breath, and access to Your throne was made available. You created us, not to be abandoned, but to receive all You have to give. It was not because of pity You sent Your Son, but because of love. You grafted into the vine of the lineage of heaven; You chose to make us joint heirs in glory. All You ask in return is our love.
We come to You this evening with a heart filled with gratitude. The outpouring of prayer on behalf of our mother over the past few weeks has been amazing. We have seen both improvements and setbacks, but most of all, we have seen love. Too often, Lord, people doubt You because they say they haven’t seen You; how blind they are. Although your physical form has not been made manifest to us, we have seen You every day. You have been in every phone call, every text, and in every Facebook comment offering prayer and assistance. When You promised to never leave nor forsake us, You went farther than just hearing our prayers. You surround us in the hearts of our brothers and sisters.
Lord, we ask You this evening for continued strength. Be with those sitting at the bedside of sick and dying loved ones. We know our wants and our dreams, but we don’t know Your plans. If we are to know the joy of recovery, let us lift You up in praise for what You have done. If, however, that recovery is a call to come home to You, then help us to praise You for the time You allowed us. We ask that You help us set aside our selfishness so we might be accepting of Your will.
Above all, Master, please continue to allow us to point others to You. Give us the words that will help light the way to You and to the storehouse of blessings that await. In prayer, in praise, and in pain, let us not forsake the unity we have with fellow believers. It is in that unity that an unbelieving world can see an invisible God.
We thank You for all things, merciful Father, and ask them in the name of Your precious Son. Amen.
Longing for Peace And Knowledge
(Saturday Evening Prayer For January 27)
Heavenly Father. We come to You this evening with longing in our heart. There is a longing for peace in our spirit, our body, and in our mind. A longing for knowledge—knowledge of You and of those who walked this road before us—fuels our passion. Father, we long for rest and the strength to lay our burdens at Your feet. We also pray for the willpower to not pick them up again. Most of all, we long for home. To walk the streets of gold, to sit beside the crystal sea, but above all to kneel in Your Presence. We thank You for this desire to see You.
Be with those, this evening, who are filled with loss and overcome with grief. In the night when sorrow and pain weighs them down, remind them there is a Light that brings comfort. We know death is a part of this world, yet the comfort of the Holy Spirit sets us apart from this world. When tears fill our eyes and mourning overwhelms our hearts, there is strength and peace and comfort in You. For those who have traveled to show their love to those left behind, grant them safe journeys back home.
We pray, O Lord, for Your blessings to be poured out upon all men. Fill the spiritual needs of the burdened bearers. When we walk through the valley, let Your light shine through us so others might see You. Let us in all ways glorify Your name and never seek to build ourselves up. Keep us focused on the good things You have given us and keep us from turning back to a world of lies. Be always in the center of our thoughts, fill our hearts, and strengthen our will.
In all we do—in all we ask—we do so in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our savior.
Lifted Up And Exalting Praise
(Saturday Evening Prayer For January 20)
Heavenly Father. All praise is lifted up to You as we thank You for bringing us to the end of another week. With eyes filled with mercy, You have watched over us and kept us safe from the grip of Satan. In all of our stumbling during our walk with You, You have allowed us to fall upon Your grace. When we have called out to You seeking forgiveness, You were faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. Nothing we have done, nor ever could do, on our own could make us worthy of Your love. It is only through the shed blood of Jesus we are able to call out Your name.
This morning we spoke of beginnings, Lord, and how You needed to be in each one we undertake. We ask that You might be with us as we begin to share more than just quotes and poetry with Your children. Guide us when we choose content that it might be an increase in our readers’ knowledge of You and Your church. Whether it be to refresh their knowledge or open up the constant newness of Your word, help me to choose wisely. I ask that nothing I post be contrary to Your truth lest I lead someone astray.
Be with Your people throughout the coming week. Stir us up with the desire to draw closer to You. Draw us closer to You in spirit and knowledge, in faith and wisdom. Grant us the courage to step out more boldly for You. Whatsoever job You call us to do, help us to do it to the best of our ability. Close our ears to the negativity of the unbelievers who seek to tear us down and lead us away from You. And when we are at our weakest, O God, reveal the strength You have placed within us.
With our hearts lifted up to You, we ask all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Worthless, Unlovable, And Alone
(Saturday evening Prayer For January 13)
Heavenly Father. Thank You for showing us our worth even when we thought we were worthless. You loved us when we thought we were unlovable and walked beside us when we thought we were alone. When we feel we have no hope, the hope we have in You fills us with strength…Your strength. Thank You for allowing us to lay our burdens at Your feet rather than let them drag us down. Time and time again, Your love, the love that sent down Your only begotten Son, comes to mind. A lifetime of service could never repay all You have done for us. And this is where we see Your grace. You don’t expect us to repay it; You just want our love.
We thank You for all You have done for us. We thank You so much for our family, our friends, and those who minister to us. You have blessed us with talents and abilities, wisdom and knowledge. You have given us understanding as well as a desire to learn. May all we accumulate help spread Your word and edify our fellow man. Let us do nothing without first calling out to You in prayer. Lead and guide us in a way that will show Your glory and not our own. Thank You for our strength and our health, for allowing us to help those who need it.
Dear God, knowing all You have bless us with, we ask You to bless those less fortunate. While there are those who can work but won’t, we know there are those who can’t provide for themselves. In Your Word we are told that that if we don’t work, neither shall we eat; put the desire to work into the hearts of those who won’t. For those unable to work, guide those who are able to them that they might be cared for. Bless those who do minister to the sick and the poor, to those in need. Let their altruism inspire others.
Finally, Lord, we ask that You will be with our readers where ever they are. Be with them in all they do. Grant them safe travels and watch over them while they are home. Touch their bodies when they are sick and encourage them when they despair. Above all, show them they are not worthless in Your eyes and You loved them enough to send Your Son.
All of this we ask, and all of these we pray, in the precious name of Jesus Christ our savior. Amen.
Saturday Evening Prayer May 7
Heavenly Father. As we come to You this Saturday evening, we want to thank You for all You have given us and all You have done for us. Your blessings amaze us each and every day for we know You give us what we need, not what we deserve. May we keep You close all the days of our lives.
Lord, we want to take this evening’s prayer and thank You for one of the greatest blessings You have ever bestowed upon us—the blessing of a Christian mother. We know that most everyone says their mother is the best, but I know You made my mother to be the best mother for my brother, my sister, and myself. You gave her a desire to serve You, a heart filled with love, a sense of discipline, a sense of humor, and the abilities she needed to raise three children. And when we grew, You gave her the opportunity to be a loving example to other children who needed looked after. Many are the nights she would wait up while we were out or sit up with us when we were sick. She always made sure our bellies were filled first, and that we knew we were loved. We could spend eternity pouring out our gratitude to You for giving her to us and never be able to truly express how thankful we are.
We know, dear Father, that there those in this world who have not been as fortunate as we are. We know there are women in this world who were given the sacred duty of training up children in the way they should go who, instead, chose to put themselves first—many of them to their own demise. We know a lot of the harm their choices have caused is irreversible, but still pray that You be merciful. Open their eyes to the opportunities lost, and let them seek forgiveness.
To those whose mothers have passed on, we ask a special blessing of comfort at this time. Bring to their remembrance the memories of joy and happiness and the time they shared with their mothers, and fill their hearts with peace.
We pray for those who are new mothers or who will soon be. Grant them wisdom and patience. Remind them daily that their children are a gift and a responsibility entrusted to them from You.
And, finally, we say a special prayer for those unable to become mothers. Our hearts break for them. Father, we don’t understand why You choose certain women who have no desire to have children to be mothers instead of those who want nothing more than to nurture a child. We do ask that You will bring peace to them. Help them to see that there is a reason for their sorrow, but You have a blessing beyond the pain.
We thank You for the week we have just come through, and ask that You will keep us through the week to come. All glory belongs to You.
In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, we ask these things. Amen.
A new command I give you: Love one another As I have loved you, so you must love one anotherJesus Words