This day, O Lord—
give me courtesy:
give me meekness of bearing, with decision of character:
give me longsuffering:
give me charity:
give me chastity:
give me sincerity of speech:
give me diligence in my allotted task.
Amen.

When the Way Seems Dark

Eternal God,
When the way seems dark before me, give me grace to walk trustingly:
When much is obscure to me, let me be all the more faithful to the little that I can clearly see:
When the distant scene is clouded, let me rejoice that at least the next step is plain:
When what Thou art is most hidden from my eyes, let me still hold fast to what Thou dost command:
When insight falters, let obedience stand firm:
What I lack in faith let me repay in love.

And if still I cannot find Thee, O God, then let me search my heart and know whether it is not rather I who am blind than Thou who art obscure, and I who am fleeing from Thee rather than Thou from me; and let me confess these my sins before Thee and seek Thy pardon in Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

For All Sorts and Conditions of People

I would pray to-night, O God, for all those sorts and conditions of people to whom Jesus Christ was wont to give especial thought and care;
For those lacking food or drink or raiment:
For the sick and all who are wasted by disease:
For the blind:
For the maimed and lame:
For lepers:
For prisoners:
For those oppressed by any injustice:
For the lost sheep of our human society:

For fallen women:
For all lonely strangers within our gates:
For the worried and anxious:
For those who are living faithful lives in obscurity:
For those who are fighting bravely in unpopular causes:
For all who are labouring diligently in Thy vineyard.
Amen.

(A Diary of Private Prayer. New York: Collier/ Macmillan, 1977.)

Prayers of Peter Marshall

For the Lonely

Lord Jesus, Thou hast walked earth's trails; Thou knowest the nostalgia of human life. Thou who hast been alone in the wilderness, bless now the members of the fraternity of loneliness.

To all who are bewildered, homesick, or ready to desert their post, give new courage. May they hear in the portals of their own souls the bugle call announcing the arrival of reinforcements.

May the friendship of Jesus of Nazareth be made known to them. May they find a welcome in this company of God's people. Wilt Thou guide and inspire them. Keep them from the mean and the low. Point them ever to the uplands of fellowship with thee.

Transform for them their homesickness into new endeavors. Enable them to translate the affection of the heart into a new zest for living.

Direct our hearts that we may all be kindly affectioned one to another, abounding in love and sympathy, keeping back the unkind word, checking the hasty judgment, in all things being gentle and full of compassion in a world of hate. So may we walk softly before Thee and deal gently with one another, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.