A Morning Prayer

Another day has come;
   O! help me, God, I pray,
To full forget the bitter things
   That happened yesterday.

And give me strength, Oh Lord,
   Each issue so to meet,
That I may face Thee unashamed
   Before the Judgment seat.

Help me to rule myself
   And kindly let me live,
To all my work, to all mankind,
   My very best to give.

And should, in Thy great plan,
   This day my labors end,
Forgive my sins, my soul receive,
   For Jesus' sake, Amen.

                     ~ Dr. P.B. Hill

Never Alone

I walked the fields alone today;
   I needed time to think and pray . . .
But, nature, artful from the start,
   Soon soothed my troubled mind and heart.
A myriad things were there to see:
   A broken fence, a gnarled old tree;
A butterfly with golden wings,
   A sparrow's nest of sticks and strings;
The ground squirrel's burrow, freshly made;
   The beauty of the sun and shade;
A weed, a bee, a porcupine,
   A pungent honeysuckle vine.
And, as I walked the fields today
   God traveled with me all the way!

              ~ Lerwill Christian Andersen

Sunrise

Night is no match
   for the rays of the sun
That gently push back the dark,
   Then spread 'cross
the vast expanse of the sky
   Awakening the sparrow and lark.

Our souls are like night
   when we know not our God;
It's only when touched by His Son,
   That we truly awaken
to the meaning of life
   And want His will to be done.

                      ~ Margaret Peterson

Believe and Pray

In trial and adversity
Let not your faith grow dim,
But say a fervent prayer to God
And keep your trust in Him.
Let hope not wither on the vine
Of sorrow and despair,
Remember God knows everything
And He is everywhere.
However dark the day may seem
Or frightening the night,
All troubles fade and disappear
And life turns out all right
Provided you maintain your faith
And do not yield to fear
The while you pray for courage with
A heart that is sincere . . .
Resign yourself most humbly now
To do God's holy will
And He will surely bless you and
Your least request fulfill.

         ~ James J. Metcalfe