4. ANOTHER EVENING PRAYER FOR SUNDAY

     We praise and bless Thee, Lord God, Father of heaven and earth, for having, out of pure mercy and kindness, so bountifully provided our body with daily bread and our soul with that heavenly food, Thy holy Word.  Grant, O faithful God, that it may remain in our hearts and work great good to Thine honor and our salvations.  We also pray Thee of Thy fatherly grace not to widthdraw from us Thy pure Word and faithful teachers of Thy Word nor remember against us our guilt and sin with which we have desecrated this day.  Blot them out, we beseech Thee, according to Thy great mercy through the bitter suffering  and death of Thy dear Son Jesus Christ.  And we commend ourselves to Thy divine protection and fatherly blessing for this day and all our remaining days in this vale of tears. May Thy holy angels keep guard over us that the enemy may have no power over us!
     But since the evening of this world is now drawing nigh and the day is far spent, we would entreat Thee to grant us the grace of Thy Spirit that we may ever be watchful and in living faith, fervent love, firm hope, and a holy walk wait for the blessed appearance of the glory of the great God, our Savior Christ Jesus, when He shall come to judge the quick and the dead, that we may then receive Him fittingly and joyfully, enter eternal life with Him, and thus attain to the eternal day of joy and rest with all the elect.  Have mercy, O Lord, upon all Christendom and remove all oppression, derision, and tyranny from Thy poor persecuted Church, comfort all troubled and distressed consciences by the true Comforter, the Holy Ghost, and send upon all of us Thy peace; through Jesus Christ, our Advocate and only Mediator.  Amen.