. Father Knows Best, by J.R. Macduff, a book of private prayers. My Father in Heaven, I approach
the footstool of your throne of grace through the merits and
mediation of Him who you always hear, My best motives are mingled
with selfishness. My best actions are marred with
defilement. I feel the weakness of my faith,
the coldness of my love, and the fitfulness of my holy desires. I cast myself anew on Him who
has done all and suffered all and procured all for me. I have continual need of your
grace and of the influence of your Holy Spirit. Protect and
preserve me by your mighty power. If at times I am prone to spiritual
declension, reclaim my truant heart from its wanderings. Give
me increasing tenderness of conscience. scrupulously avoiding anything
that would compromise godly principle or dim the sanctities of pure
thought and holy deed, enable me to cultivate those elevating
virtues which make life truly beautiful. by simplicity of trust,
consistency of obedience, and consecration of heart and life,
may I ever seek to glorify your holy name. Hear and accept my
penitential acknowledgment of sin and unworthiness, of weakness
and infirmity, of defeat and failure. Grant me Your upholding,
strengthening, sanctifying grace for this day. Let me exercise
a habitual jealousy over my words and actions. Purify my motives,
elevate my affections. Keep me from dishonoring Your
fatherly goodness by doing what is inconsistent with Your will. be my protector in danger, my
counsellor in perplexity, my light in darkness, my comforter
in sorrow, my guide even unto death. Bless your children in
affliction. May it be their joy and privilege
to pour their sorrows into a father's ear. Comfort them as a tender
mother comforts her distressed child, and then they shall be
truly comforted. Be the rest-giver and the rest-provider
for your weary and heavy-laden children. Have mercy on the wide
family of your afflicted ones. May they take refuge in the very
arms that are chastising them, feeling assured that their Heavenly
Father knows best that they have need of all these things. May
it be theirs to look beyond what is frail and fleeting and transistory,
and anticipate the time when every tear-dimmed eye shall wake
up amid the brightness and glory of an unsinning, unsorrowing,
tearless world.