Daily Devotionals: (May 20th): The Prayer of a Pilgrim

Reading: “Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.”—Psalm 73:24

I rejoice to know, blessed Jesus, it is Your burdened ones You have specially promised “gently to lead.” You will conduct me by no rougher road than is necessary. “Undertake for me.” May the wilderness journey be this day resumed and renewed with a more simple, and childlike, and habitual leaning on You. Put this new song into my mouth, “The Lord is my Rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” Say to me, in the midst of my weakness, “Fear not, you worm Jacob.” With the pillar of Your presence ever before me, “I will go from strength to strength.”

Keep me this day from sin. May no evil thoughts, or vain imaginings, or deceitful lusts, obtrude on my walk with God. May an affecting sense of how frail I am, keep me near the atoning sacrifice. May the ”horns of the altar” ever be in sight. Blessed Jesus, my helpless soul would hang, every moment upon You.

Look down in Your kindness on all connected with me by ties of earthly kindred. May the blessing of the God of Bethel rest on every heart and household I love. May we all be journeying heavenwards, and be so weaned from earth as to feel that heavenwards is homewards. If pursuing different paths, and separated, it may be, far from one another, may the journey have one blessed and happy termination. May we meet in glory, and meet with You. And all I ask is for the Redeemer’s sake. Amen.

Adapted from the Rev. John McDuff, D.D., The Morning Watches, 1852.

John Ross Macduff was born at Bonhard, near Perth, on May 23, 1818. After studying at the University of Edinburgh, he became parish minister of Kettins, Forfarshire,  in 1842. In 1849 he moved to St. Madoes, Perthshire, and in 1855 to Sandyford, Glasgow. He received the degree of D.D. from the University of Glasgow in 1862, and from the University of New York about the same time. He retired from pastoral work in 1871, moved to Chislehurst, Kent where he died in 1887.