Friday’s prayer.

Waken my soul
to understand and to appreciate
the glories of nature
everywhere around me.
The rich may enjoy many pleasures,
but the greatest of all
Thou hast granted to all Thy children alike,
wherever they are to be found,
and however unhappy their lives
may otherwise be.

We are able, if we look out for it,
to witness how Thy glorious power reveals itself
in the wondrous changes of nature.
Seasons succeed one another,
and each one has its own particular charm.
Do Thou fill my heart with the joys of spring,
with the sweet thoughts of summer.
Cause me to understand
the lessons which autumn teaches,
and let me profit by the discipline of winter.

At night,
when I look up into the sky,
and see the countless stars,
let me remember that each one of them may,
for all I know, be a world like ours,
and surrounded by a number of other worlds,
and that Thou art Lord of all.
Then I shall realise
how small the greatest of us
must seem in Thy sight.

But do not, O Lord,
let these thoughts frighten me,
but strengthen my trust,
that Thou, who art God of the whole universe,
art certainly able to guard,
protect, and lead me,
and that if I am content to walk in Thy ways
I need never be dismayed.

The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him,
to all that call upon Him in truth.
He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him;
He also will hear their cry,
and will save them. (Psalms 145:18-19)