A prayer for today: 18p

O divine Lord, whose mercy ever awaits those who return to you in true humbleness and contrition of heart, hear now one lowly petitioner who needs your help. I set out bravely this morning with the life of a new day; now I lie down ashamed and burdened with memories of things undone that ought to have been done and things done that ought not to have been done. Bring to me afresh, O God, your healing and cleansing power, so that again I may come to terms with the redemption which you offered to me through Jesus Christ.

For my deceitful heart and crooked thoughts:
For barbed words spoken deliberately:
For thoughtless words spoken hastily:
For envious and prying eyes:
For ears that rejoice in vice and rejoice not in the truth:
For greedy hands:
For wandering and loitering feet:
For haughty looks:

Have mercy upon me, O God.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.

Almighty God, Spirit of purity and grace, in asking your forgiveness I cannot claim a right to be forgiven but only cast myself upon your unbounded love.

I can plead no merit or just reward:
I can plead no extenuating circumstance:
I cannot plead the frailty of my nature:
I cannot plead the force of the temptations I encoun¬ter:
I cannot plead the persuasions of others who led me astray:
I can only say, For the sake of Jesus Christ Thy Son my Lord. Amen.

Paraphrase of A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie ©1949 Charles Scribner's Sons