In his book A Scottish Christian Heritage (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2006), Iain Murray quotes two prayers of Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847), and they seemed appropriate as we stand at the beginning of a new year, the one for personal steadfastness and the other for national renewal
“O God, make me feel the firmness of the ground I tread upon, and enable me to give all my mind to Thy Word. Above all, may I never recede by a single inch from my Saviour.” (p83)
“The blessing and they Spirit, O Lord, be on this parish and neighbourhood. O that a day of power and of refreshing were to come amongst them. I implore thy Spirit on behalf of this county. O may its ministers be turned to the Lord. O send them pastors according to thine own heart….Stay not thine arm, O God, make it bare. Come forth in the might of thy all-subduing Spirit, and reveal Christ in many hearts, for His sake.” (p88)