​August 2

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker — Psa. 95:6.
 
Our judgment is that it is impossible for any Christian to maintain a proper, consistent walk in life, and to build up such a character and faith structure as are represented by the Apostle as composed of "gold, silver and precious stones," without prayer; more than this, without regularity in prayer, we would almost be inclined to say, without kneeling in prayer; and we believe that the experiences and testimonies of the truest and best of the Lord's people who have ever lived will corroborate this—Z '99, 184 (R 2501).
 
The only reasonable attitude for us, who as God's creatures are so dependent upon His bounty and so blessed by His goodness, is worship. Worship not only implies prayer in its elements of invocation, praise, thanksgiving, confession, petition, communion and assurance, but also a wholehearted deadness to self and the world, and aliveness to God. The heart of worship is entire consecration made and kept. We should render this complete devotion in grateful and appreciative faith, hope, love and obedience as our reasonable sacrificial service, and invite one another to join us in so doing—P '34, 109, 110.
 
Parallel passages: Ex. 20:3; 34:8; Psa. 22:22; 26:6-8; 29:2; 66:4, 13, 14; 100; 116:12-14, 17; 119:108; Isa. 38:20; 56:6, 7; Jer. 31:12; Matt. 4:10; John 4:23, 24; Phil. 3:3; Heb. 12:28; Rev. 14:7.

Hymns: 160, 11, 45, 55, 219, 8, 277.
Poems of Dawn, 103: Prayer of the Consecrated.
Tower Reading: Z '15, 154 (R 5692).

Questions: Have I this week served God? How? Why? With what results?

---

PRAYER OF THE CONSECRATED

WE seek not, Lord, for tongues of flame,
Or healing virtue's mystic aid;
But power thy Gospel to proclaim— ​
The balm for wounds that sin hath made.

Breathe on us, Lord; Thy radiance pour
On all the wonders of the page
Where hidden lies the heavenly lore
That blessed our youth and guides our age.

Grant skill each sacred theme to trace,
With loving voice and glowing tongue,
As when upon Thy words of grace
The wondering crowds enraptured hung.

Grant faith, that treads the stormy deep,
If but Thy voice shall bid it come;
And zeal, that climbs the mountain steep,
To seek and bring the wanderer home.

Give strength, blest Savior, in Thy might;
Illuminate our hearts, and we,
Transformed into Thine image bright,
Shall teach, and love, and live, like Thee!

---