Prayer for Renewing Grace

“Renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Blessed God, I desire anew to end this night with You! Enkindle my soul as with a live coal from off Your holy altar! Let all unhallowed and obtrusive thoughts and cares be set aside — that I may enjoy a season of fellowship with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

I rejoice to think that I have such a Friend to repair to — such a never-failing refuge in every season of perplexity and trouble. Vicissitude is written on all around me — but “You are the same.” Though often, alas! I have changed towards You — You have never changed towards me. You loved me from the beginning, and that love remains to this hour — infinite and unalterable!

O my Father, I am mourning over my many and grievous backslidings, and my base and unworthy requital of all Your unmerited kindness. Bring me in poverty of Spirit, with deep conscious unworthiness, to say, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” Give me a realizing sense of the evil of sin — and my own sin in particular. I feel that I have no abiding and humbling consciousness of my guilt. How little of genuine, heartfelt contrition do I experience! How often I appear to be humble and penitent — when I am not! How do my very prayers condemn me! My confessions of sin, need to be confessed themselves!

Oh renew me in the spirit of my mind. May all old things pass away; may all things be made new. Transform me by the indwelling power of Your quickening Spirit. May affections now alienated from You — be reclaimed to Your service. May I seek to be more animated by the sovereign motive of love to Jesus, whose I am — and whom it is alike my duty and my privilege to obey. Knowing that this is Your will concerning me, even my sanctification — may it be my constant ambition to be growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I have in myself no might, no power, no sufficiency, to do any of these things. My sufficiency is of You. Make Your grace sufficient for me, and perfect Your strength in my weakness. Keep me from all evil that would be likely to grieve me. Wean me from all that is fleeting and perishable here, and may all Your dealings towards me issue in the confirmed habit of a holy life. If You send affliction — let me regard it as Your own way of dispensing spiritual blessing, and bow with lowly submission to Your sovereign appointments.

Bless all my beloved friends. Keep them as the apple of Your eye. Hide them under the shadow of Your everlasting wings. Sanctify trial to all in sorrow. Let the widow and the fatherless put their trust in You. Support the poor and him that has no helper. Support the aged. Sustain the dying. May we all bear one another’s burdens — and so fulfill the law of Christ.

As the pillar of cloud has been with me by day, so may the pillar of fire be with me this night. Watch over me during the unconscious hours of sleep, and when I awake — may I be still with You. And all I ask is for the sake of Jesus Christ, my only Savior. Amen.

“Let my prayer be set forth before you as incense — and the lifting up of my hands, as the evening sacrifice.”

-John MacDuff